The Federal Capital Territory Administration on Thursday kicked off its access to health programme of the FCT Area Council Health Insurance Scheme for staff and residents of the six area councils.
The Minister of State for the FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, launched the scheme at the Bwari Area Council Secretariat of the territory and handed over the health insurance cards to the six area council chairmen for distribution to the 6,000 families registered under the scheme across the area councils.
Akinjide explained that the FCT Area Council Health Insurance Scheme was borne out of the need to bridge the wide disparity in health and health care services between FCT’s satellite and rural areas and urban centres.
She noted that the disparity resulted from the challenges of access to health centres, low capacity of health care givers and scarcity of funds.
She said: “The issue of low purchasing power among rural households because of the out-of-pocket option to health-care financing in FCT, as in other parts of the country, has contributed to making health care service delivery an uphill task.
“As a result, the capacity to respond to illnesses, which are often sudden and requiring direct payments, is lacking.
“The FCT Area Council Health Insurance Scheme was conceptualized on the principles of synergy, risk sharing and pooling of financial resources by stakeholders for the benefit of all participants.
“It is in line with the National Health Insurance Policy, which aims to provide an effective alternative source of funding for health service in Nigeria.”
Akinjide further noted that the health insurance scheme was designed to guarantee the provision of needed health services to residents in a partnership scheme that involves payment of only token contribution.
The minister said the Administration would continue to form strong partnership with the area council chairmen to improve the infrastructure, health and education levels in the area councils and satellite towns.
The Chairman of the FCT Chapter of National Union of Teachers, Jibril Bello, commended the minister for initiating the FCT Area Council Health Insurance Scheme.
Bello said the scheme would guarantee sustainable healthcare delivery in the area councils and satellite towns.
He said: “We are very appreciative of the health insurance programme in the area councils and satellite towns.
“We would like to thank the Minister of State for FCT for mobilizing the area council chairmen to be part of the laudable programme.
“We would also like to thank the minister for her intervention in preventing a strike action by the teachers over monetization.
“The efforts of the minister in preventing a strike by the teachers and her supervisory role over the area councils are commendable and should be applauded.”
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