Mrs Mary Aliu, NHIS Nasarawa Coordinator, made this known to newsmen in Lafia, on Friday, at a sensitisation on the scheme’s healthcare package for corps members in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government recently launched the enrolment of corps members in the NHIS under the package “Group Individual and Family Social Insurance Programme’’ (GIFSHIP).
The GIFSHIP is designed to cover pre-orientation, orientation, primary assignment and terminal leave periods of the service year, specifically meant to terminate at the end of the youth service year.
Aliu said that the NHIS package, in collaboration with the NYSC, was aimed at providing corps members with insurance for free access to basic health care services similar to other formal sector enrolees.
“Corps members enrolling will have access to all the formal sector services that are being provided by the NHIS, and they will not have to spend any money from their pockets,” she said.
The coordinator also said that unlike other formal sector enrollees, corps member enrollees are excluded from paying the 10 per cent co-fees and would still enjoy free healthcare and drugs from accredited healthcare providers for the service period.
“With the formal sector programme, the enrolled pay 10 per cent co-payment at the point of dispensation of drugs. That is 10 per cent of the total cost. But, for the corps members, they are not paying anything.
“That co-payment is totally eliminated. So, they go to the health centre, collect their consumables and go home,” she explained.
Aliu further said that he package had already been paid for by the Federal Government and soon corps members would begin to enjoy free healthcare services in the state and across the country.
“I call on corps members to use this opportunity provided by the Federal Government to benefit from good healthcare services and not to abuse it,” she said.
Mr Abdullahi Jikamshi, NYSC Coordinator in Nasarawa state, described the NHIS package for corps members as a laudable and wonderful initiative.
Jikamshi said that the health package was initiated by the NYSC’s Director-General, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, in partnership with the NHIS, to provide corps members’ free and easy access to healthcare services delivery.
He assured that the NYSC management would do everything possible to ensure that corps members who enrolled for the package fully enjoyed free healthcare services.
“As the corps members register, our management will get their details and send it to the NHIS for registration to enjoy the package. We will continue to sensitise all corps welfare and health services,” he said.
Mr Cosmos Abai, a corps member in the state, lauded the initiative saying that the NHIS package would go a long way to reduce the burden of paying hospitals.
Also speaking, Miss Deborah Mokwe, another corps member expressed happiness over the development and said the initiative would help to tackle many of their health challenges.