TheCable

Sterling Bank says it is set to provide health insurance scheme for identified vulnerable residents within Lagos in partnership with Eko social health alliance (EkoSHA)

This was disclosed in a statement by Obinna Ukachukwu, divisional head of health and education sectors, Sterling Bank.

Ukachukwu said the funding will be sourced largely online using Giving.ng, a crowdfunding platform, as an independent organisation.

He said: “The need to ensure access to basic health coverage under a health insurance scheme despite the prevailing socio-economic challenges bedeviling the people across the country and prevent unnecessary deaths is the biggest motivation for this.

“Besides mobilising additional funds to help identified vulnerable residents access health insurance through the Lagos state health scheme (LSHS), we will also collaborate with EkoSHA to work with different departments and agencies engaged in social welfare empowerment and poverty alleviation programmes so that beneficiaries do not only have health insurance but will be provided the opportunity to enhance their ability to attain sustainable livelihood”.

Earlier in April 2020, the bank had launched a health insurance scheme in partnership with over 1,000 healthcare centres and hospitals to give Nigerians access to affordable healthcare services nationwide.

Shina Atilola, Sterling Bank divisional head of retail and consumer banking, said the scheme is open to everyone irrespective of bank, while registration is entirely digital.

Atilola said subscription cost for the scheme was N7,500 per year, adding that an enrollee could visit a hospital twice in a month or 24 times in a year and also have access to basic X-ray services once in a month.