NHIS, NUJ Partner On Service

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has called for collaboration with the FCT council of the NUJ for adequate education of the public about its services.

Mr Waziri Dogo-Muhammed, Executive Secretary of the Scheme, who made the call when the executive members of the council paid him a courtesy visit, said it was obvious that the bane of the scheme over the years had been lack of adequate public awareness.

“The Scheme has not rested in its oars, we commenced the use of the traditional town crier system of dissemination of information on our new child and maternal care services in rural communities.

“The impact, however, would be much if the media, especially the NUJ, Abuja Council, gives us the platform to reach more heterogeneous audience.

According to him, the scheme launched the rural communities programme to cater for rural dwellers in spite of its high risks.

He said the Scheme had taken steps to capture students, retirees, social groups like motorcycle and taxi-driver co-operatives as well as market women associations in its new voluntary service programme.

Dogo-Muhammed said the Scheme had evolved from suspicion and allegation of embezzlement to a stage of mutual respect and requests from individuals and state governments to be included in the programme.

Mr Jacob Edi, the chairman of the Council, expressed satisfaction with the level of progress achieved by the Scheme in the past four years.

“The council is ready to co-operate with the Scheme in its drive to bring affordable health services to the people,’’ he said.