Towards accelerating access to quality and affordable healthcare in the country through a functional health insurance sector, healthcare providers and the National Health Insurance Scheme, have listed ways Nigeria could achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
According to them, UHC is achievable in Nigeria through effective collaboration with stakeholders in the health sector and strong political will on the part of government.
The healthcare providers under the aegis of Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria, also identified multi-sectoral approach as key to achieving UHC in the country.
Speaking at the 15th National Annual General Meeting (AGM 2019) of HCPAN in Lagos with the theme: “Consolidating Health Insurance: The Winning Strategies,” President of the association, Dr. Adeyeye Arigbabuwo, said the way forward for health insurance in Nigeria was to have a paradigm shift in the way and manner with which the government had been running the health insurance industry.
Arigbabuwo stressed that the government must have the right political will and also put the required structures and funding in place as obtained in other countries for Nigerians to enjoy UHC.
“There is a need for unequivocal and unwavering political will to health insurance and UHC in Nigeria. There is need for cohesion of inter and intra professional relationship in the health sector. There is the need for NHIS to get its rudder and compass well positioned to carry the followers along as she plays her regulatory roles, he said.
The HCPAN leader further stated, “There is a need for greater transparency much more than ever before. We need trust. We need to weigh our parameters and work on data. The private sector in Nigeria needs a better enabling environment from the government.”
He challenged state governments to buy into social health insurance without prejudice of looking at funds or support from the Federal Government.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of NHIS, Prof. Mohammed Sambo, assured that UHC is achievable in 2030, if Nigeria instituted a mechanism to control quality of health services in the country.
Besides working with stakeholders in the health sector to achieve the mandate of the scheme, Sambo disclosed that NHIS was currently undergoing transformation based on a three-point agenda.
He said, “We are restoring a value system that will transform NHIS into a credible result-driven organisation.
“Engendering transparency and accountability in the centre of operations of the scheme.
“Accelerating the drive towards achieving universal access to quality healthcare for all Nigerians.”
Other stakeholders present at the AGM such as operators of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs), pharmacists, laboratory scientists, among others, called on the Federal Government to address problems hindering the NHIS from making progress and also make health insurance mandatory for all Nigerians.
The high-point of the event was the presentation of awards to distinguished individuals, who had contributed immensely to the growth of the health sector. Among them were Chief Executive Officer of Juli Pharmacy, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi and Dr. Tosin Ajayi of First Foundation.
