Mrs. Margaret Moffi, Cross River State Coordinator of NHIA, confirmed this in Calabar during an awareness campaign meeting to educate interested parties on the potential advantages of NHIA programs. Other interested parties’ concerns were also acknowledged at the meeting. Moffi claimed that the fresh deed, which was enacted into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on May 19, 2022, made it a requirement for all Nigerians, regardless of geographic location, to have health insurance available to them.
The Authority’s goal, she said, was to ensure that Nigeria had universal health care coverage. She also stated that the NHIA has coordinated programs to ensure that state and local governments are fully supportive of the Authority’s activities. The agency has begun a continuous campaign of community mobilization and grassroots sensitization about the importance of enrolling in health insurance. She urged service providers and health management organizations to always treat health-care beneficiaries with dignity and respect.
Individuals must pay to gain access to this benefit.
She did explain that, underneath the NHIA GIFSHIP scheme, an average person is required to pay the sum of N45,000 in order to have access to the yearly healthcare service package, as well as the free will to add two welfare recipients under him or her. While according to the State Coordinator, a family is required to pay the sum of N60,000 for four people, while a group program begins with ten people and costs N150,000.
Moffi also asserted, “The new Act began in May 2022, and it has become compulsory by law for all Nigerians to apply in the authority because there is now a law supporting it.” This is due to state governments, and other top government officials that are expected to show up in order to obtain the group, individual, family, and social health insurance programs for their individual components and that from May 2022 to the present, approximately 300 people have come to Cross River to apply for the program.
Prof. Mohammed Sambo says it would give aid to many vulnerable Nigerians.
Prof. Mohammed Sambo, Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Health Insurance Authority, has stated that the new NHIA Act 2022, which makes health insurance mandatory for all Nigerians, will give hope to 83 million vulnerable Nigerians. He stated that the critical areas of change were in nomenclature, from NHIS to NHIA, and that the organization’s goal should be to enhance, regulate, and integrate. Council could perhaps disclose advanced requirements for funding to the minister for approval and disbursement to SHIAs for the Vulnerable Group Fund. He also added that the Act establishes SSHIAs/health contributory management agencies for the states’ roles, and the operational modification of NHIA should push the basic minimum bundle of healthcare and also should have the authority to sanction, review tariffs, and resolve disputes in a timely manner.
He then went on to say that the Act’s implementation strategy was divided into thematic areas such as legal and regulatory, administrative, financial issues, technical issues, policy and advocacy issues, and cross-cutting issues. While Mrs. Catherine Tanzamado, Deputy General Manager and State Coordinator of the Yaba State Office, then emphasized that the new NHIA Act 2022 would steadily make sure that all Nigerians are protected with a basic minimum package of health services.
Iyala says health insurance is a “money saver” for the beneficiaries.
Dr. Godwin Iyala, Director General of the Cross River State Health Insurance Authority, also spoke, describing health insurance as a “money saver” for beneficiaries. According to him, health insurance serves as a foundation for universal health coverage. He praised the NHIA for establishing procedures to ensure the program’s smooth protection of all people applying from across the state. He then stated that medical practitioners from tertiary and secondary institutions, as well as military/paramilitary personnel, are among those attending the sensitization workshop.
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