90% of Nigerians still lack health insurance coverage- NHIA Boss

2 months ago 33

The Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Kelechi Ohiri, has disclosed that much than 90 per cent of Nigerians stay extracurricular the wellness security system, contempt a 2022 instrumentality mandating sum for each citizens.

Mr Ohiri made this known connected Wednesday during his presumption connected the “Status of demand-side financing successful Nigeria: challenges and opportunities successful wellness insurance”, astatine the ongoing National Health Financing Dialogue successful Abuja.

He said the NHIA Act of 2022 was designed to marque security compulsory, but less than 20 cardinal Nigerians, little than 10 per cent of the colonisation are presently covered.

“We cannot proceed to person a strategy wherever wellness shocks propulsion families into poverty. Insurance is meant to beryllium the cushion, but the excavation remains excessively shallow,” helium said.

He highlighted 3 main challenges including constricted hazard pooling, over-reliance connected out-of-pocket payments, and inadequate extortion for susceptible groups.

He stressed the request to fortify demand-side financing by subsidising premiums for the mediocre and vulnerable, enforcing mandatory enrolment for the ceremonial sector, and expanding innovative financing mechanisms specified arsenic earmarked levies.

The dialogue, which runs ord to wage are identified and prioritised. This volition assistance america ring-fence resources for them,” helium said.

He explained that the NHIA is moving to guarantee ‘no 1 slips done the cracks,’ portion besides reviewing payment packages to see prosthetics, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation services.

He besides added that the NHIA is collaborating with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and improvement partners similar UNFPA to supply rehabilitation and empowerment programmes.

Pensioners were besides highlighted arsenic a forgotten radical with panelists including the Executive Secretary of Ondo State Health Insurance Authority, Abiodun Oyeneyin, and Executive Secretary of Imo State Health Insurance Agency, Uchenna Ewelike, saying galore retirees suffer sum erstwhile states halt paying their premiums, leaving them exposed astatine the constituent of top vulnerability.

Accreditation and prime of care

A recurring interest raised astatine the lawsuit is the prime of services offered nether wellness security schemes and whether accredited facilities conscionable the standards required to animate assurance among enrolees.

Mr Ohiri noted that the cross-sectoral attack betwixt ministries is indispensable for gathering spot successful the system, stressing that accreditation is not simply astir registering facilities but ensuring they present safe, reliable, and patient-centred care.

However, Executive Secretary of Bayelsa State Health Insurance Agency, Agadah Zuoboemi, the Executive Secretary of Ogun State Health Insurance Agency, Afolabi Dosunmu and the Executive Secretary of Benue State Health Insurance Agency, Kenneth Korve said their agencies trust connected regular prime assurance checks, enigma lawsuit visits, and 24-hour feedback systems to support standards betwixt accreditation cycles.

Yet, they admitted that anemic oversight and constricted resources proceed to undermine spot successful the system.

Mr Oyeneyin, the Executive Secretary of Ondo State Health Insurance Authority, explained that the authorities present insists connected periodic monitoring of facilities and nonstop engagement with nonrecreational associations to weed retired unqualified providers.