- The executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has been allegedly suspended
- There have been allegations of fraud surrounding the reported suspension of Usman Yusuf
- The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole was said to have approved the suspension on Thursday, July 6
Usman Yusuf, the executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), has been allegedly suspended by the minister of health, Isaac Adewole.
The suspension was reportedly approved on Thursday, July 6 with immediate effect, almost a year after the 54-year-old health expert took over the health insurance provider on July 29, 2016.
According to Premium Times, his tenure has however been constantly plagued by allegations of fraud and the axe finally came down after a few weeks of investigation into his activities as the NHIS chief by the Senate.
He has been accused of corrupt expenditure to the tune of N292 million which he allegedly spent on health care training “without recourse to any appropriate approving authority.”
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Mr Yusuf has however denied any wrongdoing, saying that the allegations against him were unfounded.
He said: “Who told you I have been suspended or that I did any sharp practices? The person should come forward with proofs."
According to the press, multiple sources in the NHIS and the Health Ministry confirmed that Mr Yusuf received his suspension letter Thursday evening.
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NAIJ.com earlier reported that the speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, complained about the over 67% of Nigerians are unable to afford hospital payment for treatment of illnesses such as malaria.
This amounts to over a hundred million poor Nigerian families who cannot even afford to get themselves treated in public health facilities.
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Dogara made his comments as he ordered an investigative hearing to examine the rate of compliance of Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) to the NHIS contributions and utilization of funds by the healthcare providers.
Watch this NAIJ.com video on personal health care in Nigeria below:
