NHIA To Partner FRSC To Improve Crash Victims’ Healthcare Access
The Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr Kelechi Ohiri, has called for a strategic partnership with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to improve emergency healthcare access for road traffic crash victims and expand health insurance coverage among road users.
Dr Ohiri made the proposal during a visit to the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, in Abuja.
He explained that the collaboration would facilitate prompt identification of crash victims’ health insurance status and eliminate bureaucratic delays often associated with accessing emergency medical services.
According to Dr Ohiri, the initiative would ensure that road crash victims receive timely medical attention without financial constraints at the point of rescue and treatment.
He noted that integrating health insurance information into driver’s licence and vehicle registration processes would significantly improve emergency response and healthcare delivery.
The NHIA boss said the partnership aligns with ongoing efforts to strengthen universal health coverage and improve access to quality healthcare services for Nigerians.
Responding, the Corps Marshal, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, welcomed the proposal and commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Dr. Ohiri as NHIA Director-General.
He described the appointment as “a round peg in a round hole” and reaffirmed the FRSC’s commitment to initiatives that promote the safety and welfare of road users.
The Corps Marshal disclosed that all FRSC clinics nationwide are accredited healthcare facilities and highlighted the establishment of FRSC Health Maintenance Limited as part of efforts to expand affordable healthcare coverage within the transport sector.
According to him, the programme targets transport operators, drivers and members of road transport unions, with an estimated population of more than 10 million nationwide.
Mallam Mohammed further revealed that the FRSC maintains a database of over 12 million registered drivers and is willing to collaborate with the NHIA to make health insurance enrolment an integral component of driver’s licence acquisition and renewal.
“Such collaboration would guarantee enhanced safety, improved access to emergency medical care, and prompt treatment of crash victims irrespective of their financial status at the point of rescue,” he said.
He also recalled that the FRSC was the first organisation in Nigeria to establish a dedicated ambulance service, with roadside clinics strategically located along crash-prone corridors across the country.
The Corps Marshal said the initiative underscores the agency’s longstanding commitment to saving lives and improving post-crash care on Nigerian roads.
