Nigeria increasingly losing hope in NHIS as a tool – NMA

Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has said that Nigerians are increasingly losing hope in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) as a tool to their attainment of the universal health coverage

Chairman, Oyo NMA, Dr Akin Sodipo, made this known at a press conference in Ibadan to flag off the association’s 2018 physician week with the themes “Universal Health Coverage: Leaving no One” Behind in Ibadan.

Sodipo, who was flanged by the association’s general secretary, Dr Seun Adebayo; vice chairman, Dr Ayotunde Fasunla; Dr Olabisi Oseghe and Dr Ibiyemi Oduyemi, stated NMA’s assessment of the scheme enrolment in the past one year found it still abysmal low.

According to him, despite the schemes 11 years of existence, its current enrolment was still less than five per cent, and so healthcare delivery in Nigeria was still largely out of pocket.

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Sodipo said that in addressing Nigeria’s abysmal poor health indices, there is the urgent need to improve enrolment in our National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) from the current less than 5 per cent coverage.

He declared: “Nigerians are increasingly losing hope in NHIS as a tool which is vital to the attainment of universal health coverage. To achieve universal health coverage, it is therefore important to strengthen the NHIS and explore other health care financing system like the community-based health insurance which some states have keyed into.”

Oyo NMA boss, while calling for increased political will for quality and effective health services in Nigeria, urged for urgent equipping of the nation’s primary healthcare centres while considering offering free medical services for the aged, women and children.

He called also for firm implementation of the National Health Act 2014, which prescribes the minimum acceptable standard of healthcare and reiterates the right of Nigerians to a minimum package of health services.

He, however, decried security agencies frustrating the efforts of Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, NMA and other associations in a bid to rid the medical profession of quackery in the country.

He stated: “It is also on record that previous efforts by the MDCN to prosecute suspects have been frustrated by security agencies that are saddled with such responsibilities. We also have cases where some of our state branches have raised alarm on the activities of suspected quacks and impersonators but the state security apparatus has not helped matters.

“Another reason for the inability of the MDCN to tackle medical quackery-related practices is the failure of the federal government to constitute the council.”

Sodipo urged the federal government to as a matter of urgency constitute the MDCN and the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria boards in the interest of Nigerians.

He maintained that “The NMA in line with best practices introduced Doctor’s stamp in 2017 to help check the proliferation of quackery and related practices. We, therefore, enjoined all medical and dental practitioners to key into this strategic anti-quackery measure in order to safeguard the health of Nigerians.