Fasawe advocates health insurance plan for FCT residents

The Mandate Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, has harped on the relevance of comprehensive health insurance coverage for FCT residents to reduce medical expenditure amidst the harsh economic reality in the country.

He made the call on Sunday during an unscheduled inspection of the Gwarinpa General Hospital, in Abuja, as part of efforts to familiarise himself with the workings of the FCT’s health sector.

Fasawe also 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 bills on their families.

The Secretary noted the urgent need for robust sensitisation and enlightenment of the people on the benefit inherent in the scheme and recommended the establishment of a legislature that would mandate health insurance for all establishments 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 with 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 does not go on holidays.

“There is an urgent need for us to enlighten our people on the benefit of health insurance schemes and discourage the patronage of alternative and traditional medicine without recourse to orthodox medicine.

“With the annual payment of the sum of 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.

Fasawe cited the pathetic cases of road accident victim,  Matthew, who was yet to get an x-ray and treatment for his fractured leg and considering leaving the hospital to a traditional bone setter, and Emmanuel, a mother of five, who delivered twins through a surgical procedure, but was unable to make full payment for the health care services rendered by the hospital.

She, therefore, appealed to all religious houses to spread the evangelism of health insurance schemes to avoid preventable health disasters.

fasawe also gave cash donations to some vulnerable patients in the hospital.

In his remarks, the Chief Medical Officer of the hospital, Dr Tunde Ayeni said the economic situation and the high rate of unemployment pose as a barrier for mass enrollment into the scheme.

SOURCE: PUNCH

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