The Cross River State Government has made enrolment in the state Health Insurance Scheme compulsory for all civil and public servants, with immediate effect, as part of efforts to improve access to affordable and timely healthcare for workers.
The Head of Service, Mr Bassey Okon, announced the directive in a circular dated September 3, following the official relaunch of the Formal Sector Enrolment Programme of the Cross River State Health Insurance Agency. The circular, obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Friday, directed all civil and public servants to complete their enrolment and meet the agency’s registration and documentation requirements.
Okon said the policy was meant to ensure that all civil and public servants had access to affordable, quality and timely healthcare services, while strengthening the welfare and productivity of the state workforce.
He directed all civil and public servants to enrol in the scheme and comply with the registration and documentation requirements of the agency.
The circular also introduced a mandatory requirement for officers to attach valid health insurance enrolment cards to official correspondences relating to personnel matters.
It stated that correspondence concerning promotion, confirmation of appointment, loan applications, study leave, training or sponsorship, transfer or secondment, as well as other personnel-related requests or benefits, would not be processed without the attachment of a valid health insurance enrolment card.
To facilitate the enrolment process, the state government established enrolment points at the Office of the Head of Service, New Secretariat, Calabar, and the Ministry of Health, Old Secretariat, Calabar.
Okon directed all Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure that officers under their supervision were duly informed about the circular and made to comply with the enrolment requirement without delay.
He also urged concerned officers to take advantage of the designated enrolment points for guidance and assistance and complete their enrolment as required.
The Head of Service further directed all MDA heads to bring the contents of the circular to the attention of all civil and public servants under their supervision.
