The leadership of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) and Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in Nasarawa State say their members would key into the State’s Health Insurance Scheme.
They made the commitment during a courtesy call on Dr. Yahaya Ubam, Executive Secretary of Nasarawa State Health Insurance Agency (NASHIA) on Wednesday in Lafia.
The two unions explained that they refused to allow their members enroll in the scheme from inception due to misconception and lack of proper information about its enormous benefits.
Speaking at the event, Mr Suleiman Oshafu, Chairman of PASAN in the state, said they were not properly briefed about the importance of the scheme.
He added that they are now better informed based on the testimonies from enrollees on the out-of-pocket spending to get healthcare services.
“We were not properly briefed on the importance of the scheme, that is why our members did not key into the scheme from inception.
“But today we are enlightened and satisfied about the efficiency of the scheme, as such, our members will enroll immediately to enable us also enjoy its benefits,” he added.
Oshafu also used the occasion to appreciate the state government for absorbing more than 200 casual staff of the union into the payroll of the government.
Also speaking, Anderson Maigona, Assistant Financial Secretary of JUSUN promised that their members were willing to key into the scheme because of its enormous benefits.
On his part, Comrade Ayuba Oko, Chairman Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), urged the two unions to embrace the scheme and testified of how his wife had seamless delivery under the cover of the health insurance.
He therefore, advised that nobody should be left out of the scheme given the benefit of the scheme.
The NLC Chairman, however, said that civil servants were still encountering challenges of poor service delivery in some facilities and urged the agency to step up their game.
Responding, Dr Ubam expressed gratitude to the officials of the two union for the visit and their pledge to enroll in the scheme.
The ES waned that any facility that is found comprising the standard practice would be delisted and thier enrolling transfer to any nearest facility to enable them to continue to access healthcare.
He called on healthcare providers to be professional in thier conduct and give thier enrolling the desired services in order to increase confidence of the people in the scheme.
He added that the agency has received a lot complaints from enrolling about bad services by some medical facilities and they are taken steps to address them.
He also advised enrolling to change any service provider that fail to satisfy them to another one as it is within their rights to do so. (NAN).