Reps includes NHIS in constituency projects of members

The House of Representatives, yesterday, approved inclusion of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the constituency projects of lawmakers.

The lower legislative chamber said the decision followed the challenges in the health sector, especially as they affect the grassroots.

Chairman, House Committee on Health Services, Tanko Sununu, made the disclosure during the 2022 budget defence by Executive Secretary of the NHIS, Muhammad Sambo.

He said the inclusion would also enable the legislators to choose beneficiaries irrespective of status. Another reason advanced by Sununu was the right of both the lawmakers and their constituents to demand satisfactory services from schemes.

According to the NHIS boss, a lawmaker can sponsor 1000 people yearly at the cost of N10 or N15 million naira up to 24 calendar months.

Sambo said the NHIS had developed a platform called Group Individual and Family Social Insurance Programme (GIFSIP) to bond individuals, families and groups for premium payment on behalf of people in their communities.