NHIS flags off Health Insurance Programme in 3 States

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has continued to sustain its drive towards the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with the launching of the Group Individual and Family Social Health Insurance Programme (GIFSHIP) in three States.

The series of launching took place in Ojoto and Obosi in Idemili South and North Local Government areas both in Anambra State and Inisa and Ogbomoso in Osun and Oyo States respectively.

GIFSHIP was officially launched nationally in Abuja in November 2020 by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire.

The platform is the NHIS flagship for enrollment of  persons outside the  formal sector of the economy.

In his address at the occasion in Anambra State, the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Mohammed Sambo underscored  the significance of the enrollment of persons under the programme as an indication of the fact that the drive towards universal health coverage was gathering speed.

He said that that GIFSHIP was developed to ensure that every Nigerian across all socio-economic strata had access to affordable and quality healthcare.

Sambo further stated that the programme is  a practical demonstration of the prospects of extending coverage to the non-formal sectors of the economy, adding that GIFSHIP was an innovative approach to financing healthcare for  persons whose incomes are personally generated. He stressed further that the attainment of UHC was embedded in President Muhammadu Buhari administration next level agenda for health.

Dr Sambo who was represented by the Anambra State Coordinator of the Scheme, Mrs. Chinyere Aniebo congratulated the sponsor, Mrs. Joyce Umoren for providing an invaluable window of opportunity for the partnership between the National Assembly and the Scheme, which she described as a ‘win-win’ for both the constituents who are direct beneficiaries and NHIS as a regulator which has set its sights on the achieving of Universal Health Coverage.