The Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Bauchi Council, Mr Danjuma Saleh, has advocated for the enrollment of private sector workers into the Health Insurance Programme.

This, he said, would  reduce out of pocket spending and increase access to healthcare for all.

Saleh stated this while receiving members of a Bauchi-based Non-Governmental Organisation(NGO) named Journalists for Public Development Initiative (J4PD) on an advocacy in Bauchi.

He said that the state council of the NLC had concluded all agreements to enroll state public servants onto the scheme.

He, however, reiterated commitments  to engage the private sector and maintain the tempo in ensuring that health insurance became priority,

“We have signed all agreements with the Bauchi State Health Contributory Management  Agency (BASCHMA).

“Two per cent will be deducted from each public servant’s salary every month,” he said.

He called on J4PD to create awareness to the general public on the state and Federal health contributions for a healthy society.

Earlier, the state’s Coordinator of J4PD, Ms Elizabeth Carr,  said that J4PD, was in partnership with a USAID funded Project titled “Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE)”.

According to her, it is being implemented by the Center for Social Justice (CSJ).

She said  they had developed an advocacy brief on the state’s Health Insurance Programme in its efforts to give prospective clients, the state government and other non state actors   insights on the benefits of the  health insurance.

She said that globally, the health insurance system was viewed as a way to achieve Universal  Health Coverage (UHC) for all. 

The  coordinator appealed to the NLC Chairman and his management team to become champions of the health insurance scheme, not only to their immediate constituencies, but also engage the private and informal sector for enrollment.