FCTA Urges Health Workers To Ensure FHIS Users Receive Prompt Medical Attention

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is urging healthcare practitioners to guarantee and ensure that patients covered by the FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS) are able to receive prompt medical attention.

The FCT, Dr. Abubakar Tafida, Secretary of Health and Human Service Secretariat of the FCTA, made the plea during the first session of a two-day media engagement on the need to raise more awareness of the program among inhabitants.

Tafida said leadership is crucial to achieving the foundational elements of health care finance by taking into account tactics that would boost FCT health insurance plan enrolment.

He further explained that the channels needed to take the message of health insurance to residents of Abuja should be prioritise so as to meet the objectives of the Universal Health Coverage and reduce out-of-pocket expenditure which has been a major constraint for those living in under-served communities of Abuja.

Tafida said the FCT Administration will continue to ensure resource management to improve living standards.

Also speaking, the Director of the FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS) Dr. Ahmed Danfulani who reiterated the need for all residents of Abuja to key into the FCT Health Insurance Scheme.

Danfulani, who spoke on the overview of Universal Health Coverage, stated that access to healthcare should not be based on the availability of funding.

He emphasized the need for everyone to key into the scheme with a small amount, adding that healthcare services must be made available to all on an equity basis, without subjecting one to danger.

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“We are working towards Universal Health Coverage by 2030. The concept of UHC is well embedded in the Sustainable Development Goals. Part of the benefits of UHC is an increase in life expectancy, a reduction in mortality and morbidity rate, an increase in total revenue, and predictability of revenue for healthcare businesses, hospitals, and pharmacies.

“There are also economic benefits of UHC such as an increase in productivity, creation of business opportunities, reduction in unemployment, and others,” Dr. Danfulani said.

Also, the FHIS Deputy Director of Operations, Dr. Amina Zakari, said that the agency was determined to achieve UHC in the FCT through the FHIS.

However, she urged residents to access any hospital of their choice, noting that FHIS was present in almost all the hospitals in the FCT and that what is required is just N13,500 annual payments for all accommodated services of the scheme.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the International Society for Media in Public Health Mrs. Moji Makanjuola, while speaking on the topic, ‘Principles of Effective, Journalism, communication/Engagement for Health/Life, called on journalists to be alive to their responsibility of informing, educating and entertaining the public.

She added that the media has a role to play in encouraging people to key into the health insurance scheme, noting that no one is immune to sickness, disease, or death.

“No one is spared out of illness; everyone is subject to it. We must do all we can to always check on our health regularly. Many diseases, medical conditions, or death can be totally avoidable if we work towards that. Nigerian journalists must be alive to their responsibility of informing the public about the basic needs of life, including health.”