National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has successfully enrolled more than 20 million Nigerians in its health insurance scheme, a significant step toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.
According to Alhaji Acting Zonal Coordinator for the North Central Zone (Kwara, Niger, and Kogi), Adamu Abdullahi, this milestone reflects ongoing reforms to enhance healthcare delivery across the nation.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin, Abdullahi emphasized that the NHIA is focused on ensuring quality and efficiency in service delivery.
“The NHIA is committed to achieving UHC by enrolling 44 million Nigerians to access affordable healthcare,” Abdullahi stated, highlighting a recent tariff increase to improve service quality.
He noted that the capitation fee has risen from N750 to N1,450 per registered individual, alongside adjustments in fee-for-service rates.
Additionally, the NHIA has raised accreditation standards to meet current healthcare demands, as part of reforms led by Director-General Dr. Kelechi Ohiri.
Abdullahi, further, revealed that President Bola Tinubu has mandated compulsory health insurance for all Nigerians to ensure access to quality care.
“We are introducing NHIA-branded drugs to support a drug-free society and improve access for enrollees,” he added. To streamline services, the Federal Government has implemented a ‘One-Hour Referral Authorisation Code’ to reduce waiting times for referrals from primary to secondary healthcare facilities.
NHIA Kwara State Coordinator, Hajiya Idayat Bello-Olaitan, praised new intervention programs, including the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEMONC) initiative, which targets major causes of maternal mortality such as haemorrhage, preeclampsia, sepsis, post-abortion complications, and obstructed labour.
Other programs include the NHIA Free Fistula Programme and Global Fund initiatives for HIV/AIDS and Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis.
“These efforts align with the Renewed Hope Agenda to scale up UHC,” Bello-Olaitan said.
To ensure quality, the NHIA is launching a “Mystery Shopping” initiative, a monitoring exercise to ensure health facilities provide proper treatment. “We are committed to ensuring enrollees receive the right care without delays,” Bello-Olaitan affirmed.
