By Amos Tauna
There are strong indications that the public hearing on the proposed Kaduna State Health Insurance Bill currently before the State House of Assembly, will receive quality inputs from civil society and community based organisations in the state.
Already, CSOs in the state are holding series of meetings, perfecting plans on relevant and effective contributions to make during the public hearing on the proposed bill.
At one of the meetings in Kaduna held Thursday, Chairperson of Maternal and Child Health Civil Society Partnership, Dorcas M. Adeyemi, noted that there were issues in meeting the health of people in the state, stressing that a bill is before the State House of Assembly to help address that challenge.
She said the State Assembly would soon call for a public hearing on the proposed bill, hence the meeting by CSOs to sensitise their members, as well as other community members on the health insurance scheme and how to make meaningful contributions during the public hearing.
“We are trying to get issues that are relevant to the bill for the overall benefits of the people of Kaduna State and enhanced medical treatment and welfare in the state,” she explained.
Shehu Usman Mohammed, Chairman, Family Health Advocates in Nigeria Initiative (FHANI), observed that the meeting was a preparatory ground for participants to exchange ideas on the proposed bill establishing health management organization dealing with health insurance.
He added that health insurance provides for an alternative funding of health services, ensuring that the vulnerable in the state are provided medical attention at a minimal cost.
“The meeting is on how to galvanise efforts and ideas on health insurance and arrive at meaningful inputs for the public hearing, as ways to move the state forward health wise.”
Kaduna State Coordinator, National Health Insurance Scheme, Hassan Dan-Zaria, said, the proposed bill if properly implemented, would be a step forward towards ensuring a better healthcare system in the state.
He called on relevant stakeholders in the state to see the public hearing as an opportunity given to the people to make meaningful contributions in order to ensure the state benefits from the health insurance scheme.
The meeting was attended by representatives of CSOs, Religious groups, Traditional institutions and professional bodies, among others.
