President directs NHIS to accredit police health firm

President Goodluck Jonathan has directed the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, to accredit the Nigeria Police Health Maintenance Ltd., as a fully-functional health maintenance organisation, HMO.

The directive was sequel to a request by Inspector- General of Police, Mr.
Hafiz Ringim, for presidential intervention in granting approval for Police HMO.
Confirming the approval in Abuja, Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, in a letter to the Chairman, Board of Management of NHIS said: “I write to convey approval of Mr. President that NHIS accredit the National Police Health Maintenance Ltd as a HMO to enable it commence active operations.”
The Health Minister, however, noted that a progress report on the status of implementation of the President’s directive should be submitted to his office on or before the end of November this year, in order to enable him (Minister) brief the President appropriately.
Earlier, in a letter dated August 17, 2011, the Inspector General of Police had urged the President to wade into the lingering issue of non-accreditation of the Police HMO.
Ringim who said, five years after implementation of the NHIS, its benefits are yet to be felt by the Police personnel and their families, described the Police HMO as an initiative that would enhance
access to medical care for Police Personnel in line with the formal sector programme of the NHIS.
Lamenting that bureaucratic bottlenecks had frustrated noble objectives behind establishment of the Police HMO, he noted: “Five years into the Scheme, a large number of Police personnel is yet to be enrolled. There are no visible structures in place by HMOs imposed on the Force by the NHIS to address the numerous shortcomings in their operations.”
Source