FG Tasked On Health Insurance For All Nigerians

T HE  Federal government, has been urged to ensure that all Nigerians are captured under the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, in order to ensure the attainment of universal healthcare in the country, even as government was tasked to provide more Primary Healthcare Centres in the country.

Giving the assertion recently, during the official opening of D-Rabboni Hospitals Ltd., Festac, Lagos,  President of the Society of Occupational and Environmental Health Physicians of Nigeria, SOEHPON, Dr. Okon Akiba, said the need to ensure  overall health and wellbeing of Nigerians was non-negotiable  and could only be assured through provision of innovative and dynamic medical services.

According to Akiba, who is the Managing Director/CEO, D-Rabboni Hospitals Ltd: “The Federal government should ensure that everyone is covered by health insurance so that there can be enough money in the pool of finances.

In an admonition, he said: “Because of our antecedents we know that health is business, so if there is enough money in the pool, then everyone that is registered and has a health plan would have access to healthcare.”

Speaking on the new health facility, he observed that it was a product of 30 years of his medical practice and leadership.

“Rabboni is designed to practice world class standard of ethical care. We are bringing something that is innovative, it is a wellness-based facility with 5-star hotel specifications and hospitality. You would only know that you are in a hospital when they begin to give you medications.

The outfit, which runs a 24-hour service, provides primary and secondary health care, services including  general and specialist medical care.

“As an experienced medical health practitioner, I am doing this with passion. We are going to offer world class innovative service because we are partnering with Paramount Labs. We intend to be objective and affordable.”

Declaring the centre open, former Governor of Cross Rivers State, Mr Donald Duke, who tasked the government on providing more PHCs, said it was at the primary care level that Nigerians in the  communities could benefit more from comprehensive healthcare services so that the national mortality rates would drop and quality of life would improve.