The Northeast Development Commission, NEDC disclosed that it had begun arrangements towards enrolling less privileged persons in the region in its health insurance scheme.
This came as the commission and the National Population Commission, NPC, held talks on possible synergy on utilizing data in effective planning and development of the region.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, CEO of Northeast Development Commission, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali, speaking during a meeting with top management staff of the National Population Commission, led by its Chairman, Alhaji Nasir Isa Kwara, at NEDC office in Abuja, said the health insurance was targeted at vulnerable households and individuals affected by insurgency across the North-East region.
“We have discussed the need to introduce a health insurance for the less privileged in the Northeast. One of the major issues that was discussed was how can we get data for the captive beneficiaries. Some said the World Bank data will be of help, but I am sure with your commission, we will be able to get some of these data as quickly as possible so that it can assist us, “he told the vising delegation.
Alkali said the initiative would go a long way to support families in the region who were victims of the Boko Haram insurgents’ activities.
The NEDC boss said his commission had engaged the services of consultants and researchers to implement its development programmes in the region, promising that NEDC would henceforth work with NPC to address critical humanitarian challenges in the region.
He hinted that a climate change summit had been planned for early September with a view to finding solutions to some natural disasters, especially flooding that had displaced many people in the region.
Alkali said his organisation would go a step further in its synergy with the NPC by signing a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, on possible areas of collaboration.
