The president General National Market Men & Women Association of Nigeria NMWAN, Chief Mrs Felicia Sani has asked the FCT Health Insurance Scheme FHIS to include market women and men in their enrollment process.
Chief Mrs Sani stated this when she led some executives of her association on a courtesy visit to the office of the Director FHIS, Dr. M. Ahmed Danfulani in Abuja on the 8th of September 2018.
The president General who apologized for coming late said she was called on the phone on the way that one of the market women in Utako was in labour pains and needed to be taken to the hospital, “sir we are just coming from Maitama District where we took one of our members who put to bed in the market, by the time we got to Utako market, the baby was already coming out and we took our wrappers and made a wall, and the experienced women among us delivered the baby boy”. She said.
“When any of our members gives birth at home, it is the responsibility of the Husband, but when she delivers in the market we take responsibility of the cost, that is why I ordered all the shops in Utako market to contribute N50 so that we can settle the hospital bills; my in-laws and children who work with government all have insurance if we make market women enjoy this we will be happy”. She added.
Mrs Sani appealed to the FHIS to come and sensitize the market women and men on the benefits of enrollment with FHIS
Responding, the Director FCT Health Insurance Scheme FHIS Dr. M. Ahmed-Danfulani said with health Insurance, that woman who gave birth today, will not need to pay anything for child birth unless for her drugs.
“Even if the woman needed C.S, that woman will not pay one Naira, the baby too if for instance the baby has asphyxia or infant jaundice and needs to be placed in an incubator, that is also free with health Insurance, imagine paying all these cost with cash, you will spend more than 20 times your insurance premium”. Dr. Danfulani said.
Dr. Danfulani promised that with the approval of the Market women and Men association, the FHIS will send teams to the designated markets in all the 6 area councils of the FCT to enlighten the members of the benefit package of the scheme.
He said “I can assure you today that by the special grace of God we are not going to disappoint you, the health insurance is meant for people like you and we are going to ensure it works very well; I want to assume that your presence today is giving us the go ahead to further extend this relationship, it will not be easy to bring all traders to one place, it’s not possible, but with your kind permission we the FHIS will move in groups liaising with all the heads of the market in the Area council, so that everybody will understand what we are doing, will understand the payment method, understand how you will enroll and understand what your are entitled to; that is my promise to you from today forward; so that you will be carried along.”
In order to accommodate the challenge that the traders might face by leaving their shops and coming to the office for enrollment, Dr. Danfulani said the FHIS is working together with a Technical Partner “Cyber1 Systems” who have developed an application that will allow the traders enroll with the FHIS through their mobile phones.
Explaining further, the Research Assistant of Cyber1 Systems Zainab Ali, said with a minimum of N500 a month, and a mobile phone even without an internet connection, any trader can enroll with the FHIS.
She added that the traders don’t need to come to the FHIS office, as they will go round the markets in the FCT and shops to shops to register those who are interested in enrolling with the FHIS.
The meeting was attended by the Deputy Programmes Manager, FHIS, Dr John Ikpehai, the Deputy Director Operations Dr Amina Zakari as well as the Market heads of FCT area councils.