The Nigerian government has commenced enrollment of citizens into the Federal Capital Territory FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS), as part of efforts to reduce financial hardship and improve healthcare accessibility for poor and vulnerable groups in the six area councils.
Speaking at the sensitization programme organised for Abaji, Kuje, Kwali and Gwagwalada area councils, the Director FHIS, Dr. Mohammed Danfulani said the enrollment is at a subsidized rate of N13,500 annually for individuals seeking healthcare services in all health facilities across the country.
He also noted that the poor and vulnerable will be enrolled for free in the FHIS.
According to him, “Whether you have money or not, you are going to be enrolled in the FCT Health Insurance Scheme. That is the decision of the Federal government and this is going on in all of the states of the federation.
“If you are poor and vulnerable then we are going to enroll you for free. Pregnant women and children under five, we are going to enroll them. People with disabilities, children in orphanages, all of them will be enrolled under the poor and vulnerable groups.
“To determine the poor and vulnerable, we will use the gatekeepers, traditional rulers, religious groups, market groups and we will also use social register”, he added.
Reacting to the possibility of healthcare workers refusing to dispense drugs to enrollees, the FHIS Head, Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, Pharm Adedeji Fatai said measures are in place to ensure that all enrollees get quality healthcare service delivery.
He said, “We have posted our officers into each of those facilities just with the sole purpose of ensuring that the best of services is given to our enrollees in each of those facilities”.
District head, Dobi in Gwagwalada area council, Estu Sule Dobi, while commending the scheme for the initiative advised that the sensitization be extended to the people of the grassroots for effective results.
One of the beneficiaries, Praise Johnson, appreciated the FCT leadership for the initiative. She also described the process of enrollment as seamless.
FHIS will also distribute delivery kits to pregnant women in the FCT.
