NHIS extend coverage to private sector
After exhaustive deliberations, stakeholders in the Health Insurance Scheme have adopted a conceptual framework called ‘Health Insurance Under One Roof (HIUOR),’ to capture the private sector in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
According to a statement made available to newsmen by Head, Media and Public Relations, Ayo Osinlu on Friday in Abuja, the scheme noted that harmonization of the industry would help in the realisation of a Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the country.
The Executive Secretary of the NHIS, Prof. Mohammed Sambo said that the new concept which was designed by him, would
coordinate a framework that would enable an integration to produce quick result which would ultimately transform the nation’s health insurance landscape.
He also noted that there were ongoing concerted efforts in the National Assembly to amend the enabling law of NHIS to make health insurance mandatory in the country, aimed at accelerating the attainment of UHC.
He emphasize that the greatest impediment to speedy attainment of universal health coverage in the country remains fragmentation of resources, policies, efforts and strategies.
He said , “key stakeholders must come together in unanimity that allows for effective coordination of various existing and prospective health insurance schemes with a monitoring and evaluation strategy, and through necessary technical and administrative actions that may be required.
“The framework will provide a binding force such as ICT, which will ensure that all stakeholders are able to key in their data towards achieving a holistic approach to efforts to attain UHC.
Also, the Chairman of the Forum of CEOs of State Social Health Insurance Agencies (SSHIAs), Dr. Adeniyi Oginni in his comments observed that the concept of Health Insurance Under One Roof becomes inevitable because of the fragmentation and discoordination of operations in the health insurance space, which has negatively affected issues of growth and quality in the system.
READ ALSO: NSCDC Boss urges state govts to register private security outfit
He pledged the commitment of the state health insurance agencies to this framework, as it presents them opportunities to enjoy support in areas of obvious challenges for the state agencies, such as technical capacity, funding, ICT, among others.
