NHIA Establishes 276 Centres in Benue, Enrols 41,306 Vulnerable Groups
The National Health Insurance Authority says it has established 276 basic healthcare centres in Benue for easy access to health insurance by residents in the grassroots.
The NHIA Coordinator in Benue, Mr. Christopher Okoh, disclosed this during a media parley organised by the agency in Makurdi.
He said every ward in the 23 local government areas of Benue has a basic healthcare centre to ensure that residents accessed the health insurance programme of the Federal Government.
The coordinator explained that the insurance programme covered 41,306 vulnerable groups because of the wide spread of the health centres.
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He, however, lamented that many residents were not aware of the enticing health services being provided, noting that ignorance had been the major reason many Nigerians failed to benefit from the health insurance programme.
Okoh said, “People are not aware of the Federal Government’s efforts to give them succour through the health insurance programme, so they continue to suffer because they cannot afford hospital bills.
“Failing health leads to low productivity and that leads to lack of development in a nation, that is why the government is investing in the health of the people.”
He, therefore, urged the media to enlighten Nigerians about the benefits of the health insurance programme so as to benefit from it.
The coordinator also said that health insurance is now compulsory for all Nigerians under the new NHIA Act signed by former President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (Retd) on May 19, 2022.
(NAN)
