FHIS boss harps on boosting universal health coverage

By Stanley Onyekwere

In order to access improved healthcare services, Director, FCT Health Insurance Scheme, FHIS, Dr. Ahmed Danfulani has reiterated the need for all residents of Abuja to key into the scheme, irrespective of their financial status.

Danfulani, who spoke on the overview of Universal Health Coverage, during a twoday engagement with the media on the need to create more awareness of the scheme to residents of the FCT, noted that access to healthcare should not be based on the availability of funding.

He emphasized on the need for everyone to key into the scheme with a small amount, adding that healthcare services must be made available to all on equity basis, without subjecting one to danger.

“We are working towards Universal

Health Coverage by 2030. The concept of UHC is well embedded in the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Part of the benefits of UHC is increase in life expectancy, reduction in mortality and morbidity rate, increase in total revenue and predictability of revenue for healthcare businesses, hospitals and pharmacies.

“There are also economic benefits of UHC such as increase in productivity, creation of business opportunities, reduction in unemployment and others”, Danfulani said.

Similarly, FHIS Deputy Director, Operations, Dr. Amina Zakari, said that the agency was determined to achieve UHC in the FCT through the FHIS.

She however, urged residents to access any hospital of their choice, noting that FHIS was present in almost all the hospitals in the FCT, and that what is required is just N13,500 annual payments for all accommodated services of the scheme.

Earlier, the Secretary Health and Human Service Secretariat of the FCTA, Dr. Abubakar Tafida urged healthcare service providers to ensure prompt health actions for patients under the FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS).

Tafida said leadership is primarily a necessity to achieve the pillars of health care financing by taking into account strategies that will increase enrollment into the FCT health insurance scheme.

He further explained that the channels needed to take the message of health insurance should be prioritised, so as to meet the objectives of the Universal Health Coverage and reduce out of pocket expenditure which has been a major constraint for those living in under-served communities of Abuja.

On her part, Executive Director,

International Society for Media in Public Health Mrs. Moji Makanjuola, while speaking on the topic, ‘Principles of Effective, Journalism,Communication/ Engagement for Health/Life, called on journalists to be alive to their responsibility of informing, educating and entertaining the public.

She added that the media has a role to play in encouraging people to buy into the health insurance scheme, noting that no one is immune to sickness, disease or death.

“No one is spared out of illness; everyone is subject to it. We must do all we can to always check on our health regularly.

“Many diseases, medical conditions or death can be totally avoidable if we work towards that. Nigerian journalists must be alive to their responsibility of informing the public about basic needs of life, including health,” Makanjuola stressed.