The Federal Government has concluded arrangements to include the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Program. This was contained in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the two agencies and disclosed by the Executive Secretary of the NHIS Professor Muhammed Sambo in Abuja, Yesterday.
This means that the staff and Corps Members of the NYSC can now enroll and benefit from up to 90% discount on their medical expenses as they would only pay 10% on some medical needs while they can enjoy some medical services free of charge.
The executive secretary of the NHIS Professor Muhammed Sambo said the collaboration with the NYSC would expand the coverage ratio of the scheme and provide easy access to health care delivery to corps members.
Prof. Sambo said, at the university level the Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Program had been provided and the young graduates would still join the health scheme at the NYSC level.
He explained that after the NYSC there is what is called the GIVESHIP Program where individual can come and join the National Health Insurance Scheme, so NYSC Corps Members can migrate from NYSC to GIVESHIP program after the completion of their service year by paying the token that is expected and when they gain employment they can get into the Formal Sector Program.
“In the Formal Sector Program of the Scheme, if it is a public sector job they are under public formal sector, and if it is a private sector job they will join the formal private sector program, and if they are self-employed they can continue to be in the GIVESHIP which is an NHIS program designed for the self-employed.”
The NHIS executive secretary advised corps members to reciprocate the gesture by showing more commitment towards National Development. He noted that NHIS had gotten approval from the Federal Executive Council for the total automation of the scheme.
The Director General of the NYSC Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim said the signing of the MOU was in line with the President’s directive that Corps members must be enrolled in the NHIS giving an assurance that core members would continue to give in their best to National Service. General Shuaibu Ibrahim commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his unwavering commitment to youth’s empowerment through the NYSC.
“This goes to show the concern for the welfare of corps members by the Federal Government, so the operators of the scheme and the core members have got to thank the federal government especially Mr. President for his uncommon love for the scheme and as I would always say to “To whom much is given much is expected”, the core members are now encouraged to render more selfless service to this Country.”
The NYSC Director General disclosed that as part of its contribution to Nations building, Corps Doctors had been working assiduously even when doctors were on strike and had engaged in the production of face masks and hand sanitizers during the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Country.