NHIS sector must not be destroyed, HURIWA urges stakeholders

A pro-democracy and non-governmental organisation, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has urged stakeholders in the health sector particularly the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) not to allow their personal interest override their national interest.

It said the group was worried by the festering crises of confidence playing out in the federal ministry of health with specific reference to the reported intransigence of the now suspended executive Secretary of the NHIS Usman Yusuf and the Minister of health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.

A statement signed by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko on Wednesday in Abuja said, HURIWA was intervening in its capacity as practioners in the human rights sector primarily involved in the promotion of the human rights of all Nigerians amongst which is the right to qualitative healthcare.

HURIWA said: “We expect the health minister and the National Assembly to partner effectively so as to widen the scope of services rendered by NHIS so that all Nigerians are covered by health insurance policy.

“We propose that there should be a national legislation to make it compulsory for every citizen to be enrolled into NHIS because the fundamental human rights to quality and affordable healthcare services are a strategic component of the Universal Declarations of Human Rights.

“We urge the minister of health to scale up his supervisory roles to make sure that all the agencies under his ministerial purview are obliged to comply with the best global services.”

Akam James