The Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle has advocated a total health package for both serving and retired soldiers.

He made the call at the 12th stakeholders’ meeting of the Defence Health Maintenance Limited (DHML) yesterday in Abuja.

He said the availability of good health services is an integral part of the armed forces, adding that military men and women had given their lives to the country.

Represented at the meeting by the ministry’s permanent secretary, Dr Ibrahim Kana, the minister said “I believe that when we have a strong healthcare system, it motivates the armed forces.”

He reiterated the need to adequately plan for the future by putting a system in place to cater for injured soldiers, as well as access to the best medical care. He urged the government to ensure that the DHML is fully funded.

The managing director of DHML, retired Rear Adm. Azeez Afolayan, said the stakeholders meeting was convened with the goal of improving healthcare delivery through health insurance cover to military personnel.

Afolayan said there was need for periodic introspection and review of activities for early detection and rectification of fault lines capable of undermining the system.

According to him, the mission of DHML is to promote an efficient, effective and comprehensive free healthcare services to officers and men of the armed forces and their families.

He said: “The objective is to ensure that enrollees get comprehensive, high-quality healthcare through regular disbursement of funds and materials to healthcare providers and monitoring the standard of delivery regularly.”