By Our Reporter
Katsina state Governor, Aminu Bello Masari has emphasised the need for the management of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to carry out more Advocacies for people in the state to understand the programme properly.
The Governor was speaking while receiving the Executive Secretary of the scheme, Professor Usman Yusuf who paid him a courtesy call at Government House, Katsina, North West Nigeria.
The Governor noted that the scheme, laudable as it is, could be misunderstood by the people as insurance affects the sensibilities of Muslims in general.
Masari was however happy with the performance of a staff of NHIS who volunteers to educate some communities in Danja local government area on the advantages of the scheme, which he said, has brought acceptance and participation.
The Governor disclosed that the state government in collaboration with the State House of Assembly, the state chapter of Nigeria labour Congress NLC, Medical and Health Workers Union are working closely to come up with a bill for an Agency to replicate NHIS in the state.
Masari said that the Agency would reduce problems of seeking for donations for patients to buy drugs prescribed for them by Doctors in clinics and hospitals.
He commended the Executive Secretary for the good works in the NHIS, stressing that he was not surprised when he learnt of his suspension sometimes back.
Earlier in a remark, the Executive Secretary of NHIS, Professor Usman Yusuf spoke at length on the National Health Bill assented to by President Muhammad Buhari, saying the bill had provided for at least one percent of realisable federal revenue to be expended on the health sector.
Of the amount, he said five percent is secondary, forty five percent for primary healthcare, while fifty percent is for the NHIS, stressing that although the scheme had been characterised by failures in the past, everything is being done to turn round the fortunes of NHIS.
He emphasised the need for the passing of the bill at state levels for the insurance scheme to support the purchase of health consumables at the grassroots level.
Professor Usman Yusuf who said he was part of the restoration agenda-setting of the Masari led government, even before 2015 general elections, expressed happiness that the governor had started implementing the agenda in the renovated and upgraded hospitals across the state.
He also commended Governor Masari for the fatherly role he played during his suspension from office and the resolution of the problem.
He used the occasion to announce the death of the State coordinator of NHIS, Mr. Kazaure who died in an accident along Kankara during one of the advocacy visits on NHIS activities in the state.
