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PSI urges FG to hasten domestication of conventions protecting IDPs

PSI urges FG to hasten domestication of conventions protecting IDPs

IDPs
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja. Oct. 29, 2019 (NAN) The Public Service International (PSI), has called on the Federal Government to ensure speedy passage and domestication of UN Conventions for the protection of rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the country.

PSI Regional Secretary for Africa and Arab Region, Mr Sani Baba, made the call in Abuja on Tuesday, during a walk organised as part of the National Day in commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of the Kampala convention.

The two-day event is organised by the PSI and the National Commission For Refugees, Migration and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFMRI).

He explained that the walk, which kicked off at the Federal Secretariat to millennium park in Abuja, was to sensitise the public on plight of IDPs and the need to protect their rights.

Baba said IDPs in the country, like other citizens have rights to basic healthcare, education and public services, expressing concerns that majority of IDP camps lack facilities to allow displaced persons enjoy quality access to public services.

“If you go to the IDP camps, most of them are finding it really hard to survive. Most of them are used to farming and now they do not have sufficient land to farm, even when they want to buy, they don’t get it.

“If you go to the camps, they don’t have access to health facilities, electricity. Even the place they stay is not healthy for them and their children. And most importantly, education. If you go to some of these camps, the education facilities are nothing to write home about.

“So, the legal framework, will actually give the IDPs themselves the right to engage the government and even the local communities so that they can have access to all these things.

He, therefore, urged the National Assembly to ensure quick passage of the legal frameworks that ensure protection of IDPs to enable them enjoy basic needs.

Also speaking, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of IDPs, Ms. Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, said although Nigeria was doing its best for IDPs, much still needed to be done.

She stressed the need for displaced persons themselves to be encouraged to take part in projects that affect them.

“My advocacy worldwide is to encourage the participation of IDPs in decisions that affects them,” she said.

In his remarks, the Federal Commissioner, NCFRMI, Senator Garba Mohammed, said the Commission was delighted to enhance the resilience of the IDPs, noting that efforts were on to reduce factors fueling humanitarian crises.

According to him, the Federal Government and our partners are working hard to find durable solutions to Internal Displacement within the country.

“The Commission is working with security agencies and other relevant authorities to put a stop to known causes of internal displacement in the country,”  he assured.

Mohammed said the Commission was committed not only to provide support for displaced persons, but to also ensure that the IDPs population do not increase in the country. (NAN)
TAK/AFA
=======
Edited by Felix Ajide

 

General news

Mining: Expert charges host communities to demand for rights

Mining: Expert charges host communities to demand for rights

By Emmanuel Mogbede
Mining
Abuja, Sept. 11, 2019 (NAN) Mr Akachukwu Okafor, an Energy, Environment and Sustainability expert, has advised mining host communities to demand for their rights to avoid mining companies from exploiting them.
Okafor, a Consultant with Global Rights and Change Partners International, gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said most mining companies in the country failed to deliver their social responsibilities to host communities because of their ignorance.
He said there was need for host mining communities to set-up structures that would enable them engage effectively with mining companies interested in prospecting in their communities.
He added that mining host communities should ensure and verify that mining companies conducted Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before they were given mining licences by government to mine.
“Most importantly communities should be vigilant and swift in reporting incidences of environmental abuse and pollution to the environmental protection agency as soon as it is detected.
“This should be done after efforts to get mining companies to address such issues were not fruitful,” Okafor said.
He said while keeping abreast with their rights and privileges, mining host communities should build their capacities in areas of skills needed by the extractive industry to make them employable.
He added that while it was the responsibility of mining companies to provide social responsibility to host communities, government should ensure that laws guiding activities in the extractive industry were enforced.
He, however, advised that mining host communities should be co-investors in their communities, saying that this is critical to ensure that mining and environmental laws are upheld.
Okafor further advised that mining companies should ensure that they complied with the provisions of the Community Development Agreement (CDA) they sign with the host mining communities, including local content. (NAN)
EEM/OYE/MST
Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NGO tasks FG on poor implementation of Patients’ Bill of Rights

NGO tasks FG on poor implementation of Patients’ Bill of Rights

By Yashim Katurak
Healthcare
Abuja, May 4, 2019 (NAN) The Centre for the Right to Health (CRH), an NGO, has called on the Federal Government to make better efforts towards the implementation of the Patients’ Bill of Rights launched in 2018.

Mrs Stella Iwuagwu, the CRH Executive Director, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.

Iwuagwu said that launching the bill showed sincerity of purpose to ensure protection of patients rights, but much more needs to be done to see to its implementation.

The executive director said that implementation of the bill has been lack lustre with limited resources allocated to enforce the act.

“It is one thing to pass a law, but it is yet another to implement, monitor and enforce them. Implementation has been lack Luster.

“Resource allocation to implement and enforce the Act has been limited.

“On the part of the government, one can say sincerity of purpose and commitment to ensure patients’ rights are respected pushed the federal government to launch the bill.

“Also this purpose pushed it to promulgate and sign into law the National Health Act which provides for, guarantees and protects patients’ rights; though it took many years of consistent advocacy from Civil Society Organisations including CRH before the government could sign the National Health Act into law.

“The Patient’s Bill of Rights was launched in 2018 but till today, a lot of people including health service providers are not even aware of its existence.

“There is need for more awareness and sensitization. The National Orientation Agency, Ministry of Health and even Ministry of Communication should all join in sensitizing Nigerians of the Patient’s Bill of Rights with jingles and other media,” Iwuagwu said.

She expressed reservation on the Bill’s impact to the improvement of healthcare delivery in the country, saying: “I will not say that health service delivery has improved as a result of the Patient’s Bill of Rights.”

Iwuagwu said that the only areas of the country where the bill may have impacted were elitist healthcare facilities in the metropolitan cities of the country.

She said that this meant that more grounds needed to be covered in terms of awareness creation.

She urged the government to do more than was currently obtainable so that citizens could begin to feel the positive impact of the bill when receiving healthcare services.

NAN recalls that the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, launched the Patients’ Bill of Rights in July 2018.

The 12 set of rights contained in the bill include Right to relevant information in a language and manner the patient understands, including diagnosis, treatment, other procedures and possible outcomes, and Right to timely access to detail and accurate medical records and available services.

Others are Right to transparent billing and full disclosure of any costs, including recommended treatment plans, Right to privacy and confidentiality of medical records.

The bill also contained the Right to clean, safe and secure healthcare environments; Right to be treated with respect, regardless of gender, race, religion, ethnicity, allegations of crime, disability or economic circumstances.

Others are Right to receive urgent, immediate and sufficient intervention and care in the event of an emergency, and Right to reasonable visitation in accordance with prevailing rules and regulations.

According to the bill, citizens reserved the Right to decline care, subject to prevailing laws and upon full disclosure of the consequences of such a decision and the Right to decline or consent to participate in medical research, experimental procedures or clinical trials.
Citizens also have the Right to quality care in accordance with prevailing standards, and Right to complain and express dissatisfaction regarding services received. (NAN)
KRY/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NGO seeks stiffer penalties for health workers who neglect, abuse patients’ rights

NGO seeks stiffer penalties for health workers who neglect, abuse patients’ rights
By Yashim Katurak
Abuse
Abuja, April 16, 2019 (NAN) The Centre for the Right to Health (CRH), an NGO, on Tuesday called on the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to institute stiffer penalties for health workers who neglect or abuse patients’ rights.
According to the organisation, the MDCN should collaborate with the media in naming and shaming dismissed or disciplined medical and health workers who neglect and abuse patients’ rights.
Mrs Stella Iwuagwu, the CRH Executive Director, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
Iwuagwu spoke against the backdrop of the spate of medical negligence and abuse of rights of patients in health facilities in the country.
According to her, the measure will serve as a deterrent to other health workers thereby helping to improve healthcare services across the country.
She also called on the Federal Government to in collaboration with professional health bodies, set monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance by health workers to professional ethics, National Health Act and Patients’ Bill of Rights.
“There is need for stiffer penalties and timely reportage of cases handled by the professional bodies.
“The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria should involve the media in naming and shaming dismissed or disciplined practitioners on account of medical negligence or patient’s rights abuses.
“This will serve as a deterrent to others and also sensitise Nigerians, a lot of whom do not know about the activities of the professional and regulatory bodies.
“Government in conjunction with the various professional bodies of health practitioners should set up monitoring agencies to ensure compliance with professional ethics, the National Health Act and the Patient’s Bill of Rights.
“We need to also have special courts that will ensure speedy trial of cases involving violation of patient’s rights; this obviously calls for training and retraining of our judges.
“This is because everyone of us is a potential patient hence there is need to jointly build a health sector that every Nigerian will be proud of,’’ she said.
Iwuagwu said that the trained monitoring personnel could be employed and posted to every hospital to receive complaints from aggrieved patients.
She said that for this to be effective, proper complaint channels must be established in all health facilities for timely and easy intervention in addressing issues. (NAN)
KRY/VIV/MST
Editing by Vivian Ihechu/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Patients’ Rights: NGO sensitises public on health rights

Patients’ Rights: NGO sensitises public on health rights
By Yashim Katurak
Patients
Abuja, April 12, 2019 (NAN) The Centre for the Right to Health (CRH), an NGO, has urged patients and their relatives who are aggrieved due to poor healthcare services in any health institution to use the complaint box in those facilities to seek redress.
Mrs Stella Iwuagwu, the CRH Executive Director, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.
CRH is an organisation that works to ensure that the rights of patients are respected, protected and promoted at all times and in all health institutions in the country.
Iwuagwu said that aggrieved patients could also use the Servicom Desk within the premises of the health facility to table complaints and demand explanations or resolution as it was their right to do so.
She said that a patient could also write to the Chief Medical Director of the health facility where he or she was receiving services and action would be taken on any complaint made.
She said that complaints could also be sent to regulatory bodies or agencies such as the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Hospital Management Board of health facilities and the Human Rights Commission.
“There are lots of channels and avenues for patients to express their grievances in the event of a breach of the rights of such patient. Every hospital has a complaint box within its premises; an aggrieved patient can write and drop a complaint in the box.
“There is also a Servicom desk within the hospital premises, complaints can be laid there and it will be attended to.
“An aggrieved patient can also write to the Chief Medical Director of the hospital or health facility and action will be taken.
“Complaints can also be sent to regulatory bodies or agencies for example, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria is responsible for instilling discipline among doctors, complaints of infractions on patient’s rights can be channelled to the hospital management board of the health institution where services are being rendered.
“The National Human Rights Commission is there, the Nigerian Bar Association can be approached, Public Complaints Commission is there too, even our own Centre ‘CRH’ can be approached and once there is merit in the case, we will take it up.
“The court is also there; a dissatisfied patient who feels aggrieved can file a law suit in court if he or she has sufficient evidence, justice will be served,” she said.
Iwuagwu however pointed out that the judicial system was still slow in delivering justice in Nigeria.
She said that the organisation would continue to create awareness and sensitise the public on their rights as patients and how to protect it.
She said that such sensitisation has been done in urban and rural areas with the production and distribution of materials on Patients’ Rights in various local languages to reach individuals who could not read or understand English.
The CRH executive director flayed the low level of public sensitisation on the “Patients’ Bill of Rights” since it was launched by the Federal Government in 2018.
She said that many Nigerians, including health service providers, were still unaware about its existence as resource allocation to implement and enforce the Act has been lacklustre.
Iwuagwu therefore called on the National Orientation Agency, the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Information to double efforts towards ensuring proper sensitisation and awareness creation on the bill.
NAN recalls that the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, in July 2018, launched the Patients’ Bill of Rights (PBoR), which was developed by the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH).
The PBoR is an aggregation of patients’ rights which are enshrined in the constitution, and covered by the Consumer Protection Council Act, Freedom of Information Act and the National Health Act.
The document spells out the patient’s right to information, urgent medical intervention, secure healthcare environment, to be treated with respect and timely access to medical records which must be treated with confidentiality.
The Bill guarantees the fair treatment of patients and that every patient can make his own medical decisions.
It also seeks to eliminate quacks in the country’s healthcare sector as it will serve as a weapon in the hand of patients to demand better healthcare services.
The 12 rights every patient is entitled to, according to the bill, include right to relevant information, right to timely access to medical records, right to transparent billing and right to privacy.
Others are right to clean healthcare environment, right to be treated with respect, right to receive urgent care, right to reasonable visitation and the right to decline care.
The bill also stated that patients have the right to decline or accept to participate in medical research, right to quality care and right to complain and express dissatisfaction regarding services received, among others. (NAN)
KRY/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Defence/Security

Boko Haram: Commission reiterates commitment to rights of displaced persons

Boko Haram: Commission reiterates commitment to rights of displaced persons
By Yakubu Uba
Rights
Yola, April 11, 2019 (NAN) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has re-iterated its commitment to rights of displaced persons affected by insurgency and other conflicts in the North East region.
The Executive Secretary of the commission, Mr Tony Ojukwu, made this known on Thursday at a two-day training of Protection Monitors on monitoring and documentation organised by the NHRC in collaboration with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Yola.
Ojukwu said the monitors were drawn from Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.
“Most of the displaced persons are returning home now, but their humanitarian needs still remain varied and various within the camps or host communities.
“To ameliorate the situation, the commission in collaboration with UNHCR commenced this IDP protection issues with a way to finding solutions to those protection challenges being faced by the affected population,” Ojukwu said.
He noted that over the years the issue of protection relating to IDPs initiated by the commission and UNHCR has been recording successes in the Population of Concern (POC).
Ojukwu said that under the 2019 project, the commission would focus on eight local government areas in Borno and two each in Adamawa and Yobe states.
“Under the 2019 project, attention will also be paid to the monitoring of detention facilities and relevant topics have been incorporated in the training module to fully equip the monitors on adequate skills for effective monitoring and documentation focusing on minimum standards, rules for treatment of prisoners and also access to justice.
“We need to bring into focus people who have come into conflict with the law due to displacement and consequently find themselves in prison and other detention centres,” said the executive secretary.
He urged the monitors to ensure issues hitherto went unnoticed and unreported were brought to fore for redress.
Mr Tejan Cole, who represented the UNHCR Country Representative, reiterated the commitment of the UN commission to continue to partner with NHRC in the protection of IDPs rights.
He charged the monitors to show more commitment to the training in enhancing their capacity to do the job with proficiency. (NAN)
YMU/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NGO advocates full implementation of Child Rights Act

NGO advocates full implementation of Child Rights Act
By Lydia Ngwakwe
Rape
Lagos, Feb. 13, 2019 (NAN) The Centre for Children’s Health, Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE), an NGO, has called on the Nigeria Police Force to ensure full implementation of the 2003 Child Rights Act, which criminalises rape of minors.
Mrs Betty Abah, the Executive Director of CEE-HOPE, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos that the rate of sexual violence especially against children is common and very high.
“The 2003 Child Rights Act clearly criminalises rape of minors with stringent punishment.
“The Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2015 clearly prescribes jail terms ranging from 14 years to life imprisonment for sexual violence against minors.
“For the most part, perpetrators still go scot-free because there is no seriousness on the part of our law enforcement agencies and sometimes the court to enforce the law,’’ she said.
Betty-Abah said that she supports a statement by the Sierra Leonean President, Julius Maada Bio, which says “rape and sexual violence should be declared as a national emergency’’.
Bio had said that anyone who carried out sexual attacks on minors in his country would be punished with life imprisonment.
“The news from Sierra Leone is quite heart-warming, and in a way I am sad that they beat Nigeria to it and I believe that rape is overdue to be declared a national emergency here.
“The rate of sexual violence especially against children is at an all-time high but sadly, there has not been any concerted effort to it.
“Look at the much publicised case of Ochanya for instance; with the local and international spotlight that attended that case, there is still a lot of foot-dragging. It is such a big shame.
“We need to learn from this country, this has proven how seriously the country takes the human right, dignity and protection of their minors.
“If a country with less than eight million people can take the bull by the horn, why shouldn’t Nigeria, a country of about 200 million people do same,’’ Betty-Abah said.
The rights activist advised the police not to always see sexual violence and rape cases as an opportunity to make money from the accused, adding that doing so will mean taking sides and subvert justice.
She appealed to states that are yet to domesticate these Acts into law to do so, saying if they are not made laws, the enforcement will be difficult.
Besides, she called for the sensitisation of people including potential victims about their rights.
CEE-HOPE is an NGO which works on the rights and protection of the most vulnerable children in Nigeria. (NAN)
LED/ OYE/MST
Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NAPTIP urges implementation of Child Rights Act by states

Caption: Director-General of NAPTIP, Ms Julie Okah-Donli
NAPTIP urges implementation of Child Rights Act by states
By Mustapha Sumaila
Rights
Abuja, Sept. 22, 2018 (NAN) The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has called on state governments to implement the Child Rights Act to curb child trafficking in the country.
The NAPTIP Director of Investigation and Monitoring, Mr Josiah Emerole, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday.
Emerole said there was urgent need for stakeholders to push the 24 states which had domesticated the Act to ensure its full implementation.
He appealed to the states yet to domesticate the Act to do so and prepare a better future for Nigerian children.
He also urged the media to play a key role in the advocacy programmes of the agency towards ensuring its full implementation at the state and federal levels.
According to him, the Director-General of NAPTIP, Ms Julie Okah-Donli, has done much in creating awareness against child and other forms of human trafficking in the country.
“Public awareness is being created in all parts of this country to address this challenge of human trafficking.
“NAPTIP cannot do it alone hence the need for the general public to give us relevant information to arrest the menace of human trafficking in the society,” he said. (NAN)
MS/JTJ/MST
Edited by Julius Toba Jegede/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

S/East adopts Child Rights Act – NAN Checks

S/East adopts Child Rights Act – NAN Checks
Rights
Enugu, Sept. 11, 2018 (NAN) Some state in the South East region have adopted the Child Rights Act to stop abuses in the process of child adoption, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The states included Enugu, Imo and Anambra, while Ebonyi and Abia states were yet to respond to a survey conducted by NAN.
NAN recalls that the Act was promulgated in 2006 by the Federal Government for domestication by states to protect the rights of children in the country.
Respondents to the survey on child adoption process in South-East states said the process of adoption had been made been simplified and made free.
The stakeholders expressed delight over the development and called for full implementation of the law with enforceable sanctions.

In Enugu, Archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, the Chairman of Child Adoption Committee of the Ministry of Gender Affairs, said that child adoption was simplified and made easier presently in the state since the committee was inaugurated.

He said the committee, which has seasoned professionals, community and religious leaders, was constituted by the state government in 2016 after the state passed and signed the Child Right Act into law.

Chukwuma, also the Archbishop of Enugu Anglican Ecclesiastical Province, revealed that the committee had received over 4,000 applications of people who wanted to adopt a child in the state.

He said that the application would go through due consideration and investigation, while the process must be backed legally “to ensure that the child’s right is well protected’’.

The chairman said that the government through the committee ensures that those that wants to adopt any child are credible people with the capacity to take good care of the child without any form of molestation “since the governor is concerned about the future of these children’’.

“The adopted children are gotten from mothers who do not need the child. The mother is made to sign an undertaken that she does not need the child and that the government should assume responsibility of the child henceforth.

“The adoption process is very easy and not cumbersome. It begins after credibility of the adopter had been ascertained together with some other investigations. When this is concluded, we then place the child accordingly.

“We as religious leaders play the role of counselling the parents and child that have been adopted.

“The responsibility of the adopter is to perform all necessary duties as should be done by a parent if it were to be their biological child.

“The adopted child is entitled to all the parents’ inheritance and that’s the essence of the legal framework done before adoption process is concluded.

“They should not see themselves as foster parents because adoption in this case is totally different and holistic,’’ he explained.

NAN recalls that a week ago the committee met with the state’s Chief Judge on modalities to create family courts that would tackle child and family related cases including child abuse, molestation, trafficking and divorces, among other issues.
However, an Enugu-based human rights lawyer, Mr Olu Omotayo, said that although the Child Right Act had been signed in the state, it had not be domesticated since some physical and institutional provisions of the law were yet to be on ground in the state.
Omotayo, who is the former South-East Coordinator of Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), stressed that the family courts and child foster homes that are important institutions needed and embedded in the Act, were not yet to be established.
He thanked Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for setting up the Child Adoption Committee that is bringing sanity, probity and responsibility to the whole issue of child adoption and welfare of adopted children in the state.
On rising cases of baby factories especially in the South-East, the human rights lawyer noted that the negative development had continued to grow since government officials and security agencies refused to take concrete action against the development.
“For some cases of baby factories and sales of babies I have investigated, it is clear that there is a tacit compromise between government officials and law enforcement agencies in protecting culprits involved and the homes or make-shift hospitals where these girls deliver and hand over their babies inappropriately,’’ he said.
In Owerri, a staff of the Ministry of Gender and Social Development, Mr Obinna Nneji, stated that adoption in the state was free.
Nneji however said a thorough evaluation and assessment of intending parents is done to determine their eligibility and preparedness.
He said applicants have to submit their application at a family court together with their marriage certificate, age declaration and certificate of medical fitness.
“Applicants are further investigated to ensure they will be able to raise a child satisfactorily.
“The income of the couple is investigated and their home inspected to ensure they satisfy the safety requirements in accordance with the Child Rights Act.
“Great care is taken to ensure that biological parents of adopted children sign undertakings that they willingly relinquish their rights to the child to avoid legal problems.
“This gives the adoptive parents the right to fully claim the child as theirs and procure a birth certificate after the adoption is finalised,’’ he said.
Nneji also said that the child upon adoption becomes entitled to the same rights as any other child the couple might have had biologically.
He stressed that the safety and welfare of the child is given priority in any adoption process.
An adoptive mother of two who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that adoption in the state could be done in less than five months or take as much as two years, depending on the process followed.
According to her, going through private homes for unmarried mothers such as those run by churches and managed by reverend sisters, is often easier as the paper work is easier.
She said that although the process of applying and determination of eligibility was similar, government owned institutions take longer to process.
She added also that while you would not pay for adopting through the government established orphanages, the fees are often exorbitant in privately run institutions.
According to her, most couples prefer going to such private institutions because of the shorter waiting list.
“Although you pay next to nothing when you apply through the state ministry in charge of adoption, you might have to wait for years before you can get your child.
“The process is somewhat fast tracked if you know someone who would be willing to move your name up on the waiting list.
“The process of adopting my first child through the government cost nothing less than N350,000 but it took a while before it got to my turn.
“However, I was advised to go through private means when I wanted to adopt my second child; in addition to a fee of N650,000.
“I also bought foodstuff and other provisions to donate for the care of other children in the orphanage where l adopted from.
“It cost me a total of N1.2 million for the second adoption including the baby care items they insisted l must buy and submit for inspection but l got my child four months from when l first applied,” she said.
However, in Anambra, Mrs Iruka Nwokedi, the state Deputy Coordinator of Coalition of Eastern Non-Governmental Organisations (CENGOS), urged governments to quicken the process of child adoption.
Nwokedi said quickening child adoption process by the state ministry of social welfare and women affairs would eliminate the patronage of baby factories.
“In Anambra, the first port of call is the Ministry of Women Affairs where one fills a form and is screened.
“It is only when the ministry is convinced that the adoption is not for trafficking that the process begins.
“There are many people on the queue who desire to adopt a child but most of them are frustrated and have resorted to visiting baby factories because the process is cumbersome due to bureaucracy,” she said.
Nwokedi, who is also a member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), said in spite of the domestication of the Child Rights Act in the state, stigma still persist in the society.
“The problem why people don’t really go for adoption is because of the perception and stigma that goes with it, especially among uninformed persons,” she added.
Nwokedi expressed concern over the emergence of more baby factories in the state, noting that individuals pay about N300,000 to adopt a female child while the male child goes for about N500,000. (NAN)
Reporters/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NHIS: HMO sensitise enrollees on rights

NHIS: HMO sensitise enrollees on rights
By Talatu Maiwada
Rights
Abuja, Aug.16, 2018 (NAN) Managed Healthcare Services, a Health Management Organisation (HMO), has urged enrollees of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to uphold their rights in order to enjoy prompt and top quality healthcare under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Mr Roberts Ukeje, the Abuja Branch Manager of the organisation, made the call during an awareness programme on the rights of NHIS enrollees, at NAN Headquarters in Abuja.
Ukeje said that the organisation was one of the HMO’s accredited by the NHIS to make patients a better health care consumer and to promote benefits of wellness.
He explained that the HMO, in accordance with its statutory mandate and in commitment to its social responsibility, recognises the enrollee as the central figure of the health insurance practice.
“The enrollees are supposed to know their rights and benefits package entitled to them, they are the kings and major stakeholders and we are committed to ensuring that they are fully abreast of their benefits.
“The scheme therefore is determined to ensure that the enrollees enjoy prompt and adequate healthcare at all times,” he said.
The manager said the services, also known as `benefit package’ are what enrollees stand to gain.
Ukeje however regretted that paucity of and controlled funds have hindered the scheme from covering all ailments.
He explained that the benefits package was categorised under the primary, secondary and tertiary health care levels.
According to him, the primary health care level includes out-patient care, drugs, maternity care for up to four live births, routine immunisation, child welfare services, family planning services, emergency care, obstetrics and gynaecology.
The manager said that the secondary and tertiary health care categories undertake all procedures that could not be handled at the primary and secondary levels with a referral letter due to need for specialised investigation.
Ukeje noted that the secondary and tertiary levels handle surgical procedures, consultation with specialists such as physicians, dental surgeons, paediatrician, psychiatrist, orthopaedic, radiologist, physiotherapist and dental health, among others.
According to him, exclusion packages which are services not covered by the NHIS comprised partial and total exclusion.
He said the partial exclusion involved high technology investigations during which the HMO pays 50 per cent while the enrollees pay 50 per cent of the medical bill.
“This includes dialysis for acute renal failure, CT scan and life threatening emergencies,’’ Ukeje said.
Total exclusion, he explained, were services excluded from the benefit package of the NHIS, including occupational and industrial injuries, injuries resulting from natural disasters, epidemics, treatment of congenital abnormalities and cosmetic surgeries.
The manager added that enrollees were supposed to pay only 10 per cent total cost of their prescribed drugs and not for the entire treatment, emphasising that other cost incurred has been covered by the capitation fee.
He therefore urged enrollees to be well informed about the packages and give feedback to the agency as well as their HMOs on any challenges encountered while receiving services in facilities under the scheme.
Ukeje said that the scheme could be contacted on various platforms and call centre lines, including NHIS E-mail: mailto:info@nhis.gov.ng”; info@nhis.gov.ng; Website: http://www.nhis.gov.ng”; and www.nhis.gov.ng.
He also gave the contacts for Managed Health Care call centre lines as: 08079992600; 08079992842; 09071348217; 08054706468, and 070010008000. (NAN)
TIM/MS/MST
Edited by Mustapha Sumaila/Muhammad Suleiman Tola