Metro
FCT Minister Tasks FHIS on Health Insurance Coverage
Minster of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello has tasked the management of the FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS) to ensure that every resident of the FCT is covered under the Scheme.
The Minister made this charge when he received the FHIS Director, Dr Ahmed Danfulani and his management team, who were at the FCTA to present the Working Documents of the Scheme to the FCT Minister.
Malam Bello informed his guests that one of the mandates given to the FCT Administration by President Muhammadu Buhari was to widen the health insurance coverage of FCT residents.
In the words of the Minister “the mandate given to us by President Muhammadu Buhari is to widen coverage of health insurance in the FCT and the mandate I am giving you is to ensure that every citizen in the FCT, either in the formal or informal sector is covered”.
The Minister also urged the FHIS management to ensure that the FCT Health Insurance Scheme succeeds in the Territory because, payment for health services all at once either by individuals or even the government is no longer tenable, considering the ever increasing cost of medical services especially for diseases such as cancer or orthopedic procedures
Bello said: “You have to work out a system so that certain diseases can be covered. If for instance someone is diagnosed with cancer, how can he or she pay for it? Cancer treatment, even the medication alone or chemotherapy alone, costs a lot of money not to talk of radiotherapy or surgery for some orthopaedic cases”.
He asked the FHIS team to also work out ways in which enrollees under the scheme had the option of paying more for wider coverage, urging them to improve their services and grow the Scheme based on sound business practices, financial management and a robust ICT infrastructure.
While calling on the FHIS team to develop a robust publicity strategy in order to meet its objectives, Malam Bello also urged them to work out a system that will take care of the aged in the society.
He said: “you have to work out a system to make sure that the aged pay only a reasonable amount of money to get good quality healthcare because they have served the country and the FCT, so it is now the duty of the country to take care of them”
In his remarks earlier, the Director of the FCT Insurance Scheme Dr Ahmed Danfulani, while presenting the Working Documents to the Minister, explained that the documents were prepared over a period of two years and will guide the everyday operations and activities of the scheme.
The documents presented include the “FHIS Standard Treatment Guideline and Referral Protocol” which is designed to ensure that patients are aware of the full extent of treatment they are entitled to.
Also presented to the Minister is the “Operational Guideline of the FHIS” which according to Dr Danfulani “describes in detail every step that we need to take in any of our actions, including registrations of healthcare providers, registration of HMOs, their roles, our roles, punitive measures to be taken when they err and so on”
Metro
FG Reaffirms Commitment to Providing Enabling Environment for Migrants
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to providing enabling environments and adequate protection for migrants in the country.
Mr Tijjani Ahmed, the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI), said this at the International Migrants Day in Abuja on Wednesday.
Report says that the theme of the celebration was “Beyond Borders: Celebrating Migrants’ Legacy, Protecting their Rights.
”The Commission organised a walk in commemoration of the day to sensitise Nigerians of the danger of not following the right path when leaving the country.
Ahmed highlighted the invaluable contribution of migrants to Nigeria’s development, including remittances exceeding 23 billion dollars annually, and advancements in technology and agriculture.
He said that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was committed to creating a secure and supportive environment for migrants while enhancing migration governance.
“We are here today to celebrate the migrants for their technological transfer.
“We celebrate migrants because of their contributions towards the development of this country.
“We also celebrate them today in order to inform them that the Nigerian government and the people of Nigeria are there for them.
“We do not forget the contribution of our migrants in the diaspora towards the development of Nigeria,” he said.
Ahmed emphasised Nigeria’s readiness to lead migration governance globally through the “Rabat Process” in 2025, showcasing its dedication to migration management and human rights.
“Nigeria is preparing to take over the leadership of the rubber process by 2025.
“We are asking everyone within and outside this country to support Nigeria to succeed in the governance of migration internationally.
“We have at least 10,000 migrants in Nigeria and over 20,000 outside the country that are contributing towards the development of the country, ” he said. (NAN)
Metro
FCT Civil Service Commission Begins Regularisation of FCTA Staff Appointments
The Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission has begun the regularisation of staff appointments in the FCT Administration and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
The Head of the Civilo Service, Dr Udo Atang, said at the commencement of the exercise in Abuja on Wednesday, that the move was to ensure accurate data of all staff.
Atang described the regularisation as a “critical” exercise, which forms the bedrock of the new FCT Civil Service Commission (CSC).
He pointed out that all the staff were holding letters of appointments from various agencies, departments, area councils, and the defunct Ministry of FCT and FCDA among others.
The holders of these letters, he said, have been raising issues of discrimination based on letters of appointment.
According to him, the exercise and the gazette by the commission that will come thereafter, will give all staff a sense of identity.
“The essence of this regularisation is to ensure that staff are properly documented.
“You will now have letters that will now qualify you as a bonafide staff of the FCT Civil Service Commission.”
The head of service, who appealed for full cooperation of the workers, directed that a list of all staff on course, study leave, leave of absence and other related permissions be compiled and submitted.
He added that the list should be compiled with grade level, designation and record of service, including approvals.
Atang commended the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, for his doggedness and commitment in implementing the provisions of the FCT CSC Act, 2018.
Noting Wike’s support and love for the FCT workers, the head of service urged the workers to reciprocate the minister’s uncommon gesture, by being dedicated and committed to their respective duties.
Also speaking, the Chairman, FCT CSC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, stressed that part of the responsibilities of the commission was in the appointment, promotion and discipline of all FCTA and FCDA workers.
Ezeh also stressed the need for the workers to be more committed in the discharge of their responsibilities. (NAN)
Metro
Jos School Collapse: CWON Holds Trauma Healing Session for Parents, Survivors
From Jude Dangwam, Jos
The Catholic Women Organization of Nigeria (CWON) has organized a trauma healing session for survivors of the Jos Saint Academy School collapse alongside parents who lost their children in the unfortunate incident.The National President of the organization, Dame Mary Gonzum noted that the effort was part of their psychosocial support and counseling services for victims of the school building collapse as a follow-up to the assessment of the condition of the victims during their visit.
Gonzum speaking during a one day trauma session held at the Secretariat of the Justice Development and Peace/Caritas Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Archdiocese located along Zaria Road in Jos the Plateau State capital said the trauma healing session was in continuation of their intervention to students who experienced the building collapsed.”Today, a trauma healing session was flagged off with a seminar on how to go about handling the trauma that victims of the Saint Academy School Busa Buji in Jos are passing through.”We will later select those that are so traumatic and need help to continue with the process of healing because it is not something that will end in a day or two but will need sometime.”The surviving students who experienced the building collapsed, parents of the students are all here because some parents are so traumatic, we have one other woman that lost two children”This trauma became necessary because when we went visiting in the hospitals, we observed that some of them are really traumatic. Like the other boy, his mother said up till today he kept telling his mother that he is seeing dead bodies, and anybody he sees he will say is his classmate.”Some of the affected parents while sharing their encounters after the incident said they hardly sleep in the day or night time. Some manage to sleep for two hours and they’re awake, and from the little lectures we received today it is clear that there is a problem,” She noted.The President calls on the government to ensure that those saddled with the responsibility of approving, inspecting and supervising structures are meant to do their job with all diligence to avert future happenings again.Some of the affected parents including; Hasana Suleman Sale who lost two of her children recalled with pains the unfortunate development that claimed the lives of her two children. She expressed gratitude for the trauma healing session which she said came as a means of consolation and strength for her to overcome the trauma she is passing through.