A Card Worth Having

Anthony Kila writes about the need for Nigerians to take the issue of their health seriously by subscribing to the first emergency medical health scheme in the country.

Dear Readers,

Let us today talk about the emergence of the first emergency health card in Nigeria. It is an amazing development worth spending some time to ponder on. In a land of uncertainties like ours, making provisions for uncertainties and emergencies seems to be a logical and practically unavoidable sport.

When it comes to health however, it is about life and death. Sadly, our everyday experience is that at times of emergencies and crisis, between life and death there is money, where ability to pay tend to mean life and inability to pay tend to mean death.

Today’s epistle is about a solution to such dramatic moments. I can give first hand report of what happened in Lagos.

“Health is wealth” is an aphorism I am very sure we are all familiar with, I am even fascinated with the saying, and such fascination has led me to some considerations around the expression.

One of my experience induced considerations is that the person that coined that expression “Health is wealth” must have been in a lot of pain or at least been very ill. For long, I have also held the view that the expression “Health is wealth” is one of the most universally accepted expression and ageless idiom one can think of.

Whilst we are at it, let us remind ourselves that “Health is wealth”, was coined well over 2000 years ago by the Roman poet Virgilio whose original assertion in Latin was the greatest wealth is health”.

 Yes, I love the original too and it is one of my many favourite aphorisms. Last week, was an opportunity for me to quote Virgilio in English language and to say “the greatest wealth is health”.

Last week, (on Tuesday 21st of November 2023) I had the very exciting privilege of being a very active participant at a historical event that took place in Lagos, Nigeria.

The event was the unveiling of Fontana Health Card, the first emergency health card in Nigeria, it was designed like a townhall meeting made up of stakeholders of the health sectors such as heads of hospitals, pharmacies, diagnostic centres and other health providers, also present were potential card holders and members of the press.

The gathering also pulled together some notable names and industry leaders in the country such as the CEO of PKF Services, Chief Tajudeen Akande, Ms Folasade Coker of Coker and Castle, Mr Timmy Kolawole CEO Blackrock, Mrs Funke Fajusigbe, MD Auxilia Media, Mr Ikechukwu Amechi, MD, The Niche, Chief Tola Adeniyi, the first Ombudsman in Africa and former Group MD of Daily Times and now President of the League of Nigerian Columnists, since no one asked them, it is difficult to scientifically state what were the expectations of these distinguished guests before attending the Fontana Card Health presentation but based on their comments after the event one can easily, clearly and safely state that they feel that Fontana Health Card is worth having.

More than any HMO, Fontana Health Card has been designed to help face moments of health emergencies such as sudden sicknesses, accidents or injuries. Cardholders and their selected beneficiaries will in such dreadful moments get the best medical interventions available and they will have to think only of blood and pain not money and costs.

The deepest essence of humanity is revealed when life is at stake and a medical emergency is a very good example of such moments.

In the Nigeria of today, at moments of emergencies most people resort to begging because whilst dealing with pain and blood that tend to come with emergencies, they also have to pay deposits for admission into hospitals, medical treatment, tests and diagnosis and of course medicine.

Sadly, it is not enough to have money, transfer might not work, there might be limit to the amount one can spend of ones own money. That is another story…

Fontana Health Card has been created by the Fontana society to reduce preventable deaths during emergencies by making sure those registered for the card will not only get the best treatment but also will not have to pay for medical treatment, tests and diagnosis as well as medications. Luckily the card allows anyone of us to register anyone of our choice not just our nuclear family members. For a culture and country where the extended family, church members and neighbors, works associates and even artisans feel closer than extended, Fontana Health Card is indeed a card worth having for anyone that lives in Nigeria or has someone who lives in Nigeria and who might mention you in moments of health emergencies.

Fontana Health Card is a child and story of passion, skills and collaboration. In order to provide this solution, Fontana society assembled a team of strategists, health experts and IT solution finders and went on to partner with leading hospitals (such as Duchess International Hospital, Lagoon Hospital, Reddington Hospital, St Nicholas hospital, Taal Specialist Hospital and many more) leading pharmacies (such as Alpha Pharmacy, Boluke Pharmacy, HealthPlus Pharmacy, Medplus Pharmacy and many more) leading tests and diagnostic centers (such as BT Health and Diagnostic Centre, Crestview Radiology, Me Cure Health Care and many more).

The result of the efforts of these renowned professionals and leading organizations is a seamless, simple and sensible solution that will ensure anyone of us can be sure that in the dreadful event of health emergencies we are in and those we care about will not have to think of money. 

Join me if you can on twitter @anthonykila to continue these conversations.

-Kila is Institute Director at CIAPS. www.ciaps.org.