4th September, 2023
By Esenvosa Izah
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said it will continue to campaign for the inclusion of retirees from both the private and public sectors in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Its Assistant General Secretary, Mr. Chris Onyeka, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Onyeka stated that because the new health insurance policy entered into law on May 19, 2022 targeted universal health insurance coverage, “it therefore meant everybody was covered, including retirees.”
According to him, if such an act is in place and functioning, the issue of health insurance for retirees will be resolved because there is already a structure in place that covers them.
“That is the dream of every trade union leader: to ensure that everybody gets coverage; so, there is one thing to make law, it is another thing to operationalise it.
“The problem we have now is that of operationalising it especially funding the scheme itself has to be worked out.
“Although, it is also included in the law how the scheme will be funded, but it has not become fully operational.
“Therefore, as trade unions, we will have to continue advocating and pushing for the implementation of the universal health insurance scheme.
“Also, we will advocate a targeted health insurance scheme for pensioners or retirees: that is also part of our responsibility.
“Trade unions exist to articulate, protect, and project the rights and privileges of workers wherever they may be,” he said.
However, the labour leader said what was key was the issue of improved social security and protection for retirees.
According to him, if there is a robust social. protection system, it will also guarantee greater access of pensioners to the health benefits.
“It is all about protecting the vulnerable. In the private sector, they have more pensioners or retirees who are covered after retirement.
“We will continue our advocacy outreach to ensure they are included in the health insurance scheme,” he said.
NAN