… focusses on vulnerable groups, quality care, right tariffs
By Hassan Zaggi
The Director General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA),Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, has disclosed that the organization has concluded plans to increase the enrolment of Nigerians into the health insurance scheme to over 20 million in 2025.
He stated this at a media briefing in Abuja, yesterday.
Currently, according to Dr. Ohiri, the NHIA has surpassed the presidential target by increasing its enrolment from 16.7 million to 19.2 million in less than one year.
“So, what do we need to do in 2025 and going forward? It means that we want to build on the successes we’ve had, and we’ve had quite a lot of them this year. It has been a very busy year.
“It means that we need to increase enrollment by next year, we will meet our target of 20 million people, but we also aim to surpass that and see how far we can push, as long as we get all the keys unlocked, like the enforcement of the mandate and creating more awareness,” he said.
The NHIA Director General further disclosed that maternal emergencies will be given priority to ensure that no woman dies during child birth. This, according to him, will be done in partnership with the National Primary Health Development Agency (NPHCDA).
Pensioners and retirees
While assuring the media of strong partnership, he disclosed that vulnerable Nigerians including pensioners and retirees will be given considerable attention.
“NHIA will focus on the vulnerable groups substantially in 2025 to make sure that our equity mandate is realized. We will make sure that what people go to receive is good quality care and everything we need to ensure the right tariffs, the quality assurance, assessment, listening to complaints and resolving it will be done to culminate in quality of care,” he insisted.
He further explained that: “We’re going to be focusing on looking at ensuring that pensioners and those that retire can also pay or be paid for to get into health insurance coverage.
“We know that most old people, when they retire, their costs are largely driven by two things, food and healthcare.
“So, what do we need to do to make sure that they are also included in the plans. Of course, we live in a digital era, and NHIA has to ensure that we leverage the best of technology, not just to create transparency, but also to increase access.”
Review tariffs, benefit package, includes FP, HIV, TB
Dr. Ohiri revealed that tariffs including the basic minimum benefit package has been reviewed.
“Public planning is something that Nigeria has typically underperformed it. And when we came, we reviewed the benefit package, and we saw that, though it was there, it wasn’t sufficient, not all methods were put in there.
“So, we revised the benefit package so that unmet needs for family planning are included.
“We also explored integrating HIV treatment, treatment for Tuberculosis (TB) and also nutrition, because of the high rates of malnutrition and the prevalence of diseases and costing it with actuaries, so that we have a benefit package that is robust and can meet the needs of all Nigerians and reduce the fragmentation in line with the minister’s approach of integrating through a sector wide approach.”
Fistula patients
According to him, NHIA has made remarkable progress in its Fistula Treatment Program (FTP), noting that 22 hospitals participated and that over 1,000 women received either surgical or conservative treatment.
“And by treatment, I mean they’ve come in, they’ve had either surgery or conservative treatment, and these treatments have been paid for to the hospitals directly verified by independent third-party administrators,” he reiterated.
