In further confirmation of its leadership position as Africa’s foremost telecommunications company of choice, MTN Nigeria has entered into a strategic partnership with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), to help bring affordable health care services closer to its subscribers and the nation at large.
The aggregator of this innovative collaboration is Salt and Einstein.
Speaking on the rationale behind the partnership, at the first-of-its-kind scheme, officially launched in Lagos, Michael Ikpoki, chief executive officer, MTN Nigeria, said, “At MTN, we believe that health insurance contributes to removing the financial barriers to healthcare, thereby giving people unrestricted access to good health care without having to pay out-of-pocket.
“More than bringing flexibility and ease to paying for health care service, health insurance is also a means of providing greater access to healthcare for larger segments of a population. Indeed we believe health insurance is imperative for closing the gap between the availability of health care service and the ability of the citizenry to access it”.
He further said that, “The MTN Y’ello health cover is an all-inclusive mobile health insurance scheme, which will afford all Nigerians the opportunity to access good, affordable and quality healthcare service wherever, whenever the need arises”.
The scheme will allow subscribers to gain access to pre-defined treatments and also freedom to choose their own Health Maintenance organisation (HMO), and healthcare provider from over 7000 registered partners across Nigeria.
Under the scheme, subscribers will have access to unlimited number of visits to the hospital with at a weekly deduction of N250.00.
Dr. Femi Thomas, executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), speaking at the official launch of the Y’ello Health insurance scheme, said: “This new service will provide Nigerians affordable health insurance cover on a pre-paid basis.
“Through the Y’ello Health, mobile subscribers are able to opt into a micro healthcare insurance scheme through Health Management Organizations (HMO’s), using their mobile phones for a range of pre-defined medical treatments for which affordable premium can also be remitted through the subscribers’ mobile phone”.
The MTN Y’ello is one of the many ways Africa’s leading telecommunications network is adding value to the lives of it subscribers.
The next leg of the launch will take place in Abuja at a yet-to-be-announced date.