NYSC begins enrolment of corps members into NHIS

The Federal Government has flagged off the enrolment of corps members into National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

The enrollment comes under the Group Individual and Family Social Health Insurance Programme (GIFSHIP).

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) GIFSHIP, which is designed to cover pre-orientation, orientation, primary assignment and terminal leave periods of the service year of corps members, would terminate at the end of service year.

Speaking at the official flag-off of the programme, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, said the enrolment of corps members into the NHIS has demonstrated the commitment of the current government to the health of Nigerians.

“The corps members play critical role for the development of this country and therefore cannot be neglected. This gesture from government is in appreciation for the importance of NYSC,” he said.

He commended the achievement of the current management of the Scheme, while charging corps members to strive to justify the confidence bestowed upon them.

NYSC Director General, Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim, said GIFSHIP has been designed as a holistic health insurance scheme, covering the periods of pre-orientation, “that is, as soon as a prospective corps member picks up Call-up Letter, which is the instrument that qualifies him/her for admittance into national service, until the end of his/her terminal leave, which is three weeks after disengagement from Service.”

He added: “For effective implementation of this scheme, six Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOS) have been carefully selected after a competitive process for each of the six geopolitical zones to drive the process.

“To ensure seamless arrangement devoid of encumbrances, Corps members are expected to register under Health Care Practitioners in their localities. It is, therefore, my expectation that both the HMOS and health care providers will approach this insurance scheme with the highest degree of responsibility and integrity.

“On our part, management of the NYSC will leave no stone unturned in order to ensure that all, who have roles to play in this initiative, carry them out with patriotic zeal so as to meet the expectations of the government.

“In a bid to further achieve this, I have directed the Corps Welfare and Health Services Department of the Scheme to ensure strict monitoring of the HMOs in concert with the NHIS Office to guard against service failure.”

The Executive Secretary, NHIS, Prof. Mohammed Nasir Gambo, said the initiative was a bold move in the right direction given that it would contribute significantly to the wellbeing and welfare of youths who are the future leaders of our great country.