The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved the enrolment of members of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme into the National Health Insurance Scheme to guarantee them access to quality healthcare services.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, stated this when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting which was presided by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Adewole expressed optimism that the inclusion of the corps’ members in the health scheme would not only check the reported unnecessary deaths among NYSC members but would also ensure that they receive the highest attainable level of health care across the country.
“The other memorandum taken at today’s meeting had to do with how we will prevent unnecessary deaths among the corps members across the country.
“The Council approved the memo that henceforth we will include NYSC members in the National Health Insurance Scheme across the country and this will guarantee access to quality healthcare across the country, prevent unnecessary deaths and also ensure that the NYSC members receive the highest (attainable) level of healthcare services across the country,’’ said the Adewole.
The minister announced that his ministry also presented the reports on the state of public health services in the country to the council.
He disclosed that no single case of polio was recorded in the country in 2017, while only seven new cases of Lassa fever were recorded across the country this year.
“We have formally declared the meningitis outbreak over in the country.
“We also informed FEC that we have not recorded any case of polio in 2017.
“We have recorded seven new cases of Lassa fever across the country and the cholera outbreak in Kwara state has also fizzled out.
“So, we have to report that to FEC, today,’’ the minister said.
(Punch)
