UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses importance of Health Insurance Fund program in Nigeria
“This is exactly the kind of innovative partnership that we should replicate- here in Nigeria and beyond”.
- Jul 12, 2011
During his visit to Nigeria last May, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attended a breakfast meeting with the Governors’ Forum, held in Abuja. In his speech he addressed the unique character and the importance of the Community Health Insurance Scheme of the Kwara State Governement. The scheme is a program of the Health Insurance Fund and its implementing partner PharmAccess in cooperation with its local implementing partnerHygeia Community Health Plan.
Ban Ki-moon highlights the importance of the Scheme by referring to “The ground- breaking Community Health Insurance Scheme of the Kwara State Government” as another hopeful example strengthening healthcare to all people. He also points out the uniqueness of the innovative approach and partnership between the Government, traditional rulers, the private sector and donors and addresses to is as: “this is exactly the kind of innovative partnership that we should replicate- here in Nigeria and beyond”.
Community Health Insurance Scheme
The Community Health Insurance Scheme provides comprehensive healthcare to the Kwara farmers and their families, working hard to make their living under difficult financial conditions. The farmers pay part of the insurance premium, giving them a proud feeling of ownership of the program. The balance of the premium is funded by Kwara State and the Health Insurance Fund, recipient of donor funds from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ban Ki-moon visited Nigeria to learn more about Nigeria’s challenges and achievements in the field of public health and specifically women’s and children’s health. In his speech he therefore also referred to the Every Women Every Child initiative he recently launched.
CLICK here to read the full speech.