The Mandate Secretary Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Health Services and Environment Secretariat, (HSES) Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, has harped on the relevance of comprehensive Health Insurance coverage for all FCT residents in a bid to reduce medical expenditure amidst the harsh economic reality bedeviling the country and its masses.
Dr Fasawe made the call on Sunday during an unscheduled inspection of the Gwarinpa General Hospital, Life Camp as part of efforts to familiarise with the workings of the FCT’s health sector and compassionately paid and enrolled 36 year old Success Mathew and Joyce Emmanuel, a mother of five into the FCT health insurance scheme to cushion the effect of medical bill on their families.
The Mandate Secretary noted the urgent need for robust sensitization and enlightenment of the people on the benefit inherent in the scheme and also recommended the establishment of legislature that would mandate health insurance for all establishment and institutions with certain staff strength in order to promote health insurance practice amongst the masses.
Taking a tour of the Hospital, Fasawe expressed satisfaction on the general outlook of the hospital and commended the functionality of the system geared towards effective service delivery but called for more attention on the availability of pharmaceuticals and medical consumables especially during the weekends as safety doesn’t go on holidays.
There is an urgent need for us to enlighten our people on the benefit of health insurance scheme and discourage the patronage of alternative/traditional medicine without recourse to orthodox medicine. With annual payment of the sum of Sixty Four Thousand Naira only (N64, 000), the scheme covers the cost of medical expenses such as surgeries, x-rays, child delivery, Caesarian Section and other treatments, reduces financial burdens on families as well as out-of-pocket expenses.
The whole family enjoys free access to effective and efficient health care service delivery which automatically translates to mental health stability for all, Fasawe averred.
She cited the pathetic cases of a road accident victim Mr Success Matthew who was yet to get an x-ray and treatment for his fractured leg and considering opting leaving the hospital to traditional bone setter’s and Joyce Emmanuel, a mother of five (5) who delivered twins through a surgical procedure but was unable to make full payment for the health care services rendered by the hospital.
The mandate secretary therefore appealed to all religious houses to spread the evangelism of health insurance scheme in order to avoid preventable health disasters and also gave cash donations to some vulnerable patients in the hospital.
In his remark the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ayeni said the economic situation and the high rate of unemployment posed as a barrier for mass enrollment into the scheme.
