By Ndidi Chukwu
Lugbe an Abuja satellite city which houses over 750 thousand Nigerians with only a three bedded health clinic to cater for its emerging health care needs has its hopes ignited. The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) with support by the Rotary Club Abuja, flagged off the Lugbe Mutual Health Cooperative Society.
The Lugbe Mutual Health Cooperative Society is a Community Based Social Health Insurance Programme (CBSHIP) designed to provide affordable, accessible and qualitative healthcare to the residents especially those that are self-employed.
“This signals the commencement of the process of access to healthcare services by the people registered under the programme, in a manner that is easy and affordable” said NHIS acting Executive Secretary, Mr. Femi Akingbade.
The Lugbe Community Health Insurance Programme is the first and only Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI) programme of the NHIS in the FCT after 20 years the Headquarters of the NHIS was opened by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, in the FCT, but Akingbade assured of rapid launch of CBHI in other area councils of the FCT.
“One of our key driving forces as an organisation is the presidential Mandate to ensure Universal Health Coverage for all Nigerians by the year 2020, as the main hub of the Nation’s effort in this regard, NHIS wishes to assure the people of the country of the unwavering commitment of the scheme to this national goal, in the light of our confidence that this target is achievable, especially with all hands on deck” Akingbade said.
He also said the NHIS is undergoing a comprehensive digitalization of its processes and operations to cover the entire process from registration to Hospital encounter management at points of service, and data administration. With a financial support from Rotary Club of Abuja, District 9125, who paid for the cost of care for vulnerable groups in Lugbe community, the NHIS programme will subsidize the cost of care for people accessing health care at the AMAC health center in Lugbe.
“Women and Children require regular health attention, AMAC health Clinic is the only accessible health facility around to cater for over 750,000 people, this is not sufficient, 65% of the workers at the clinic are volunteers who are not paid by anyone, and bigger health challenges are not treated within Lugbe due to the absence of any General Hospital within the area” Ambassador Prince Mustapha, the BOT Chairman said while welcoming guests to Lugbe community.
Mustapha however expressed optimism that the CBHI could make the difference and save many lives which are lost in the community due to lack of good health care plan. The NHIS-Rotary Club, Lugbe mutual health cooperative society will be regulated by the NHIS and is open to individuals and families who are expected to pay agreed amount as premium yearly.
The health coverage for our patients will include, providing consumables, basic internal care, treatment of malaria and other basic uncomplicated febrile illnesses, uncomplicated diarrhea diseases basic upper respiratory tract infections voluntary counselling and testing for HIV/AIDS/STI, normal delivery, ante-natal and post natal care, Family planning, treatment of minor eye ailments and many others.
