The prospects of health insurance cov erage for 40 percent of Nigerians by the end of 2015 has been taken to the next level with the nationwide clamour for the Community-Based Social Health Insurance Programme of the NHIS.

At the flag-off at Gwiwa Sire, in Wamakko LGA, Sokoto State, Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS) boss, Dr. ‘Femi Thomas stressed the commitment of the Scheme to further ease access to effective healthcare for Nigerians, by providing subsidy for the Community Based Health Insurance Programme, CBSHIP, through payment of premium contributions for all registered pregnant women and children under five years of age, for a period of three years.

Thomas said the Scheme has cumulatively expended over N1.2 billion to provide care for pregnant women and children below fivr years of age, under the NHIS-MDGs Maternal and Child Health project since 2008 in six benefitting Local Government Areas of Sokoto state, namely Kebbe, Yabo, Binji, Tangaza, Sabon-Birni and Isa.

Thomas emphasised that in addition to removing financial barriers in accessing healthcare services for these vulnerable groups, the programme has also facilitated significant improvement in infrastructure and quality of service delivery for the benefitting communities.

While assuring that the NHIS/Sokoto state partnership would further yield positive results with the flag-off of Gwiwa Sire Mutual Health Association CBHI, the NHIS focal person commended the State Government for its efforts in promoting the health status of the indigenes, through its pro-active measures at addressing health issues in the state.