The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, has hinted at plans by the current administration to increase the number of Nigerians on health insurance from 17 million to 50 million, in order to ensure more Nigerians have access to affordable healthcare services. Pate who gave the hint on Friday in Abuja at the sectoral ministerial press briefing to mark the first anniversary of President Bola Tinubu in office, noted that the current administration was trying to ramp up the work not done in the last 25 years, by providing insurance cover for more Nigerians including retirees. He said:” We need to make healthcare affordable to Nigerians so expanding health insurance, repositioning health insurance is part of that agenda that Mr.
President has directed for everyone. “The reforms that are underway are about to be finalised including for retirees, civil servants and others so that Nigerians can begin to afford health care services. “Imagine if we get 50 million Nigerians having insurance, it will really change the dynamics in the sector.
For 25 years we only had 17 million Nigerians covered. We are trying to ramp up on that.” Pate who disclosed that N260bn has been earmarked for the revitalisation of the Primary health centres across the country, added that plans were underway to expand the PHCs from 8,300 to 17,000 through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and make them functional to deliver essential services.
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