This includes government officials in all ministries departments and agencies, paramilitary and intelligence agencies.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr Zainab Ahmed, disclosed this to State House Correspondents after this week’s Council meeting, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

According to Ahmed, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, presented the memo to the council and approved insurance package will cover all government officials.

She said “The Head of Service of the Federation presented a memo to Council on Group Life Insurance Cover for the period 2022 to 2023. This is an insurance cover that is covering all government officials in all government agencies, paramilitary and intelligence agencies.

“Council approved the total sum of N9.24bn naira for the insurance cover for 2022 to 2023.

“As you know, the insurance will take effect from the date of payment and in Nigeria, by our laws, the insurance cover is 30 per cent of the annual emolument of any staff of government that is deceased and this cover is paid by the insurance company to the beneficiaries of the deceased staff”, she said.

Advocates of Senate Bill 159 say California is the first state to authorize pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), without prescriptions.

PrEP is a once-daily pill for HIV-negative people while PEP is a medication that people take to prevent the virus from taking hold.

Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California, said Senate Bill 159 “is a huge improvement to removing a barrier” and helps reduce the stigma around the drugs, especially in rural areas and among minorities.

Nearly 30,000 people in California use PrEP and 6,000 use PEP, according to the California Health Benefits Review Program.

The California Medical Association was initially opposed to the legislation but became neutral about it after it was amended to limit the number of PrEP pills patients can get without a physician’s note to 60 days, said Anthony York, spokesman for the association.

The association was concerned about “long-term use without physician oversight,” he said.

The law also prohibits insurance companies from requiring patients to get prior authorization before using insurance to get the drugs, eliminating another obstacle.

Pharmacists in California are already authorized to dispense emergency contraceptives and birth control without a prescription.