NHIS proposes 1k/sec telecoms charge for vulnerable Nigerians

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), has proposed one kobo per second call from telecommunications for full coverage of vulnerable Nigerians.

The Executive Secretary of NHIS, Prof Mohammed Sambo in his Presentation at the 2021 stakeholders summit on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), in Abuja, said the organisation has disbursed not less than large some of N14.9 billion to states.

Sambo further said the absence of commercial banks in most Nigerian towns and rural areas is part of the problem hindering the successful implementation of Universal Health Coverage for the vulnerable Nigerians.

Sambo explained that though the mandatory health insurance had provisions for the vulnerable funds, he however said that was not what the agency wanted, as the one kobo per second call has a tremendous capacity to bring huge resources in billions that would be used to cover the vulnerable segment of the population.

“Nigeria is one of the signatories to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and efforts to achieve UHC, it has to finance health insurance and considering that the vulnerable cannot afford to pay for health insurance, we have to devise a mechanism of paying for them.”

“We wanted one kobo per second call from telecommunications to enable the scheme to provide health insurance for vulnerable Nigerians. When you take one kobo per second call, nobody will feel that anything has been deducted from his or her call, but It has a tremendous capacity to bring huge resources in billions that would be used to cover the vulnerable segment of the population.”

“About 70 per cent of Nigerians pay out of their pocket for healthcare services, hence the need to mobilise resources for universal health coverage”.

Sambo pointed out that the total enrolment target was 1.2 million people, while the number of poor people in the country is about 80 million.

“The health insurance scheme could not be implemented in an atmosphere of ignorance, as there must be accountability framework, else the scheme would collapse”.

“NHIS has accredited 7,252 healthcare facilities, but the non-release of Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) after initial disbursements, weak political and financial commitment and others factors have constituted a big challenge”.

Earlier, the Chairman of the 2023 UHC Forum, Mrs Moji Makanjuola, pointed out that Nigeria is not on the trajectory of UHC given its unacceptably low coverage of five per cent basic health care services.

Makanjuola tasked the government at the national and subnational levels on political will to ensure sustainable health coverage for Nigerians particularly the vulnerable groups in the country.

“COVID-19 pandemic had exposed the country’s sub-optimal health security system, the slow progress on UHC and gaps in the health security system were attributable to sub-optimal public financing for health and weak accountability arrangements for public financial management at all tiers of government.

“Nigeria, like many other low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), has adopted Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as its main policy objective as articulated in the 2016 National Health Policy document”.

“However, the country is not on the trajectory of UHC given its unacceptably low coverage of a pithy five per cent basic health care services.

The National Assembly Representative, Dr Abubakar Ahmed, admonished health practitioners to get involved in governance, especially in the National Assembly in order to ensure representation.

“Health practitioners in Nigeria must make conscious efforts to ensure that they are adequately represented in all strata of governance.

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