The clamour for a Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria has been rife with stakeholders calling for its implementation as would-be beneficiaries have indicated interest towards embracing the feat. With National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) championing the cause and state governments at the front burner, Nigeria can be said to be on the path of making history.
There has been a global call by the World Health Organisation to all governments for the acceleration of accessible reforms to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) which refers to a healthcare system saddled with the responsibility of providing healthcare and financial protection to all citizens.
With this, it is expected that everyone, everywhere, especially children below the age of five, pregnant women and the vulnerable can access quality health services which must not be an out-of-pocket expenditure, thereby forcing individuals into poverty, as available statistics already reveals that over 60% of Nigerians live below a dollar per day.
In the journey towards making every citizen count, especially as it relates to healthcare, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has decided to collaborate with state governments. This led the Agency to Enugu state where a two-day retreat was organised for Abia and Anambra state legislators and commissioners of health, with the theme “Achieving UHC in Nigeria: states in the driving seat.”
Addressing participants, the acting Executive Secretary of the Agency, Mr Olufemi Akingbade, said health is a major productive asset and as such, state governments must not see it as a burden to their budget, bearing in mind that a community that is not healthy cannot engage in economic activities which invariably leads to loss of manpower, resources and irreversible quality time. Therefore, there is the need for the states to correct the law they are already working on which will be a plus to the scheme, stressing that a stich in time saves nine.
To salvage the wasted years which had exposed Nigerians to economic hardship as a result of the pursuit for safe and healthy lives, the NHIS helmsman insisted that legislators must enlighten their wards and constituencies on the gains of visiting Primary Healthcare Centres which have been statutorily mandated to attend to the needs of patients. More so, visits to tertiary health facilities have proven not to be effectual as they are often over- burdened with ‘minor’ ailments and have little or no time to attend to issues which would have been tackled at the primary level.
In respect and fairness to traditional birth attendants and traditional medicine, Akingbade emphasised for training and re-training as they have come to stay since time immemorial and have been fully and widely accepted by all Nigerian communities. He said in the course of serial trainings, they must be educated to know and understand their limits. This will enable them identify complications when they arise and make referrals. Trainings will broaden their view towards understanding that pain is a part of childbirth which is nature-ordained and divine. Furthermore, no woman must die as a aresult of birthing life. The climax of his speech was the announcement of the sum of $1.5 million which is coming as grant to each of the 36 states of the federation including the FCT. He said if well used in the pursuit of UHC, another sum will be given in subsequent year. However, for states who do not reach the set target in the use of the grant, such will be converted to a loan which invariably means that the state government will make refunds. He said it is to serve as a deterrent for the misuse of public funds.
”There is a programme called ‘Save a million lives and it is a grant of $500m that has been given to the Nigerian government for 25 years. One of the things that the government is trying to do is to use it to encourage the states. So there is the first phase of disbursement which is going to be given to the states as grant, and each state will qualify to get $1.5m.”
“There are indices that have been set and there are plans that have been set by the government. One thing that the $1.5m is going to do is that in the first instance, we want to see utilisation before further disbursement. It will be assessed after a year to see how it has been used before further disbursements can happen.”
“There are going to be sanctions because now it will be given as a grant but failure to reach a specified level of performance, it will be converted to a loan and that means you have to pay back. If you work well, you will not pay back the first installment” Akingbade stated.
Concerning the grant, Hon. Godwin Okafor, chairman, committee on health, Anambra state House of Assembly, said the fund will not be enough but will serve as a brilliant litmus test of the scheme.
“It will definitely not be enough but is a very good start because it is a lot of money with that added with what the state will bring in and contributions from individuals, it’s definitely going to go a long way. Health matters cost a lot of money but it is going to help us a lot.”
Still on the grant, Dr Gozie John, the Abia state commissioner of health had this to say “The amount is basically aimed at states working out functional programmes to deal with the maternal population and the under fives. Obviously, for us at the state level, we want to work out what is going to work for us to be able to achieve those things and we are hoping that in the next one year whe the funds will be made available, we should be able reap, having put in a functional system that will stand the test of time.”
With over eight million people already registered in the scheme, it is expected that many more will be captured when state government do their work and the dividends trickle down to the grassroots.
By: Kuni Tyessi
Leadership News
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