Buhari directs enrolment of NYSC members into health insurance scheme

Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the compulsory enrolment of members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim disclosed this in a media chat with journalists in Abuja on Monday.

“The scheme has concluded arrangement with the NHIS for the enrolment of corps members into the NHIS in line with a presidential directive. We have also expended huge resources on critical health needs of corps members, including footing of medical bills,” Ibrahim said.

Ibrahim noted that the NYSC has put in place essential measures in all orientation camps in line with the protocols for the safety of corps members and other members of the camp community.

He added that the measures have been endorsed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) during its inspection of the Camps.

“They will all participate in the Orientation exercise, which has been planned to take place in three streams for ease of compliance with the COVlD-19 protocols,” Ibrahim said. “The dates for the three Streams are as follows:

“Following the ease of the COVlD-19 lockdown and the green light from the Presidential Task Force for NYSC to make preparations for safe resumption of our Orientation Course, the Scheme has been working in liaison with the NCDC to achieve the desired outcomes.

Ibrahim explained that the NYSC, in partnership with other bodies, played a significant role in controlling the spread of the HIV/AIDS and combating the Ebola Virus Disease.

“The responsiveness of the Scheme to prevailing national needs has been brought to light again with our role in the current battle to contain the Coronavirus pandemic,” Ibrahim said.

“Driven by the high premium we place on the welfare of Corps members and our Staff, we took the proactive step of suspending the 2020 Batch ‘A‘ Stream One Orientation Course to avert the spread of the virus to our Orientation Camps. The camps were also prepared for use as Isolation Centres in furtherance of our contributions to the overall efforts to control the pandemic.”

The NYSC DG noted that the NYSC has intensified its relationship with security agencies to ensure the security of corps members wherever they are serving in the country.