The Director General of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr Kelechi Ohiri has said, that despite notable advancements, significant issues such as low coverage, uneven distribution, and persistent quality concerns continue to hinder the effectiveness of health insurance in Nigeria.
Ohiri disclosed this on Friday in Abuja at the NHIA’s Strategic Stakeholders Engagement in collaboration with the Nigeria Universal Health Coverage Forum and Local Health System Sustainability Project (LHSS), Project Nigeria.
The NHIA Act which was signed into law, on May 19, 2022, that repealed the NHIS Act of 2004, was to address some of the challenges of the old law, by providing for mandatory health insurance and establishing the Vulnerable Group Fund.
The Act also transforms the NHIA into a promoter, integrator and regulator of all health insurance schemes in Nigeria.
The Strategic Stakeholders Engagement themed: “The NHIA Act: Two Years After – Reflections and Future Direction”, was to reflect on the past, assess the present situation, and share a common vision for the future of health insurance in Nigeria.
The Director General emphasized a transformative shift introduced by the NHIA Act 2020, which mandates health insurance for all Nigerians, establishes state-specific schemes, creates a vulnerable group fund, and enhances the NHIA’s regulatory functions.
He highlighted that while 62 per cent of the formal public and private sectors are covered, the large informal sector lags with only one per cent coverage.
He said that expanding access to this informal sector and vulnerable populations remains a critical objective.
He, therefore, outlined NHIA’s vision to achieve universal health coverage by: “Enforcing mandatory insurance, Increasing public awareness and trust in the system, Improving quality standards and market efficiency and Operationalising funds dedicated to vulnerable groups.
He also reiterated NHIA’s commitment to transparency, setting robust standards, and regulating the fragmented health insurance landscape.
He maintained that achieving these goals requires collective effort from all stakeholders as he called for regularly hosting interactive stakeholder sessions.
“We must come together routinely to collectively address challenges in Nigeria’s health insurance landscape through consistent dialogue and collaboration.”
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Also, the Chief of Party LHSS, Dr Bolanle Olusola-Faleye, said that it was an opportunity for essential investments in Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Initiative, particularly focusing on financial risk protection for the poor and vulnerable.
The NHIA strategic stakeholders engagement panel discussion, moderated by Gafar Alawode, Director of DGI Consult Limited, featured representatives from Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), state health insurance schemes, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
Alawode said that the panel aimed to foster collaboration to enhance coverage in alignment with NHIA’s vision for health insurance in Nigeria.
Dr Elaine Baruwa said that enrollment was merely a step towards the ultimate goal of translating enrollment into tangible health benefits
Baruwa urged for a compelling business case for health investments that appeal to financial decision-makers.
Dr Francis Ukwuije, Health Economist, WHO Nigeria, stressed the importance of prioritising data on key health insurance programme outputs, such as healthcare service usage, to support informed decision-making.
Meanwhile, Dr Mustapha Lecky, Chairman Health System Reform Coalition of Nigeria (HSRCN) said HSRCN as an umbrella coalition were already stretching hands for effective collaborations to enable their mandates.
Lecky said that as an umbrella of coalition its believed in collaboration, partnerships, support, planning and strategic approach.
He called for more deliberate engagement and involvement of CSOs to drive advocacy and progress under the NHIA Act.
He said a collective drive towards strengthening Nigeria’s health insurance framework to achieve UHC.
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE