RADIO NIGERIA
The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has proposed over 190 million naira for maternal and child health project in it’s 2021 budget estimate.
Executive Secretary of the scheme Alh Muhammad Sambo, announced this during the 2021 budget defence before the House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services.
Alh Muhammad Sambo explained that the project which would be executed at the rate of 12,000 naira per life, per annum will cover 410 lives in each of the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
He said about N130 million naira has also been proposed in the budget for a health project on the elderly, covering about 10, 235 lives across the country.
On the agency’s performance in 2020 budget the Executive Secretary said out of the N164 million naira appropriated, only N72.47 million naira was released but has not been adequately utilized following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
The NHIS Boss also appealed to the House of Representatives to concur the National Health Insurance Mandatory Bill already passed by the Senate to enable to the county achieve universal health coverage.
On his part, the Chairman house committee on healthcare services Alh Tanko Sanunu, assured the the agency of the house support in realising it’s objectives.