By VANGUARD
Managing Director, Clearline HMO, Dr. Olusegun Ogundimu has called on Federal government to focus on community based health insurance scheme to engender growth in the nation’s health sector. This based on the need that community based health insurance is low in Nigeria and there should be concerted efforts by all the stakeholders to address the situation.

Ogundimu, a former Commissioner of Health in Lagos State said the government HMO’s and healthcare providers should propagate the scheme in the rural areas. The scheme if carried to the rural areas will improve the health indices of the country.

He said community based scheme is one critical area to focus on in Nigeria in order to develop the health sector. He added that the federal and state governments should contribute to the scheme to run effectively while the scheme must have account in a community based bank for the people to have access to their funds.

The community health scheme, he noted should be run by the community to make it a sustainable effort while retired health personnel such as Doctors, Nurses should contribute to the scheme by running it on behalf of the community.

Calling for community based mobilisation through effective collaboration and cooperation with the local populace, he  urged  government to restrict further registration of HMOs to adequate presence in the rural areas. HMO’s that are not based in the rural areas should have their registration not approved by the government.