– Proffers sharia compliance model for health financing
One of Nigeria’s foremost leading non-governmental organisations, Islam and Sustainable Development Initiative, ISDI, has commended the Nigerian government for its efforts in fighting persistent inequalities in health service access by the Nigerian populace, which also continues to impact population healthcare delivery, in most, if not all, aspects.
The leadership of the organisation asserted this at the two-day health symposium held between April 6 and 7, to mark the 2024 World Health Day with theme: “Review of the National Health Insurance Act 2022: Sharia Compliance Model for Health Financing”.
Muslim News gathered that World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on April 7th by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
It provides an opportunity to focus on important health issues that affect people worldwide. The theme for World Health Day 2024 was ‘My Health, My Right.’
President and Acting Chairman of the Board of Directors of the organisation, Abdul Hakeem Adejokun said, “noting the importance of primary healthcare in building a resilient, integrated healthcare system that touches the life of all Nigerians, President Tinubu has followed up his promise for a comprehensive revamp of physical infrastructure, equipment, and the re-training of frontline health workers starting from 2024.
“This is clear from with the increment in budgetary allocation to the health sector as well as commitment to doubling the number of fully functional Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) from 8,809 to 17,618 by 2027 across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),” he noted.
Adejokun explains why it’s important to kickstart a conversation around this need and also pledged to take up the responsibility of organizing the NGOs, Islamic Cooperative Societies, health, and insurance professionals for the development of National Health Takaful Insurance Products.
He also revealed that the Islam and Sustainable Development Initiative, ISDI is open to partnership with regional and external professional bodies, individuals, corporate organizations, and government agencies to create climate-proof sustainable solutions to our socio-economic challenges.
Also speaking, a Senior Lecturer from the Department of Islamic Law at the Kwara State University, Malete, Kwara, Dr Abdullahi Saliu Ishola, disclosed that despite the overall improvement in health scheme service coverage, within the country, disadvantaged Muslim populations still have lower access to healthcare due to issues of Sharia compliance valid test, and thus are at greater risk of facing catastrophic costs or neglect.
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) Don, Tajudeen Yusuf, a professor in the Department of Actuarial Science, called on the Muslims to be proactive in developing blueprints for an all-encompassing Sharia compliance Health insurance scheme.
The insurance and Islamic finance expert posited that the Sharia Compliance Health scheme should be established as a product that takes into consideration items such as “legal regulatory framework, governance structure, Sharia compliance, product development, risk management, participant eligibility and enrollment, claim processing, and administration, as well as monitoring and evaluation.
Professor Tajudeen advised the Nigerian populace generally and Muslim Ummah specifically to shun a dangerous mindset that the government must change and do everything for them.
Additionally, the two-day Health Symposium featured Ustadh Seyid Jamaluddin Miri, the Co-Founder, International Students of Islamic Psychology, ISIP and Hajia Mariam Solate-Eshinlokun.
Speaking on the topic “Mental Health through the Lens of Islam”, Mr Jamaludeen sensitized the participants that religious beliefs make it better for people to choose logical and correct solutions and methods in problematic situations.
He noted that holistic connection to Allah, our creator through spirituality is a reliable source that protects man from confusion and causes man to have indirect control over events.
On her part, Hajia Mariam-Solate Eshinlokun , in a paper on Nutritional Health theme: “A Key To Healthy Living”, encouraged participants to eat responsibly, saying food consumption is the major cause of illness in modern day.
The Certified Nutritionist, stressed that nutritional health has the potential of eliminating diseases and maintaining a healthy body.
