NHIS seeks senate backing to reposition scheme

In its bid to re-position the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) towards the realisation of its core mandate, the Executive Secretary of the Scheme, Prof Mohammed Sambo, is seeking the support of the senate through legislative and advocacy engagements.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health Dr. Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe in Abuja on Thursday, Prof Sambo, unveiled the strategies mapped out to reform the scheme to include, rebranding a system that would transform the NHIS into a credible and result driven organization amongst others.

According to him, the reform anchored on the support of a 3-point rebranding Agenda is design with the aim to achieve universal access to quality healthcare for all Nigerians.

While requesting the assistance of the Senate Committee on Health, through legislative and advocacy engagements, the NHIS boss added that the on-going efforts to rebrand and reposition the NHIS is to enable it operate as an effective tool for quality healthcare delivery for all Nigerians.

‘’The reforms will also engender transparency and accountability in the entire operation of the scheme’’, Prof Sambo said.

He also highlighted ten action points from the white paper on the Independent Fact Finding Panel that investigated the recent crisis in the organisation as additional undertakings of the government aimed at repositioning the Scheme, particularly in the areas of staff audit, financial management systems, procurement, internal audit and labour relations.

Professor Sambo, who intimated the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health with plans to deploy a robust ICT to drive the reforms, said, “this will solve eighty percent of the unacceptable transparency issues in our processes, as it will afford us the platforms for effective, real-time monitoring and evaluation”.

In his remarks, the Senate Health Committee Chairman, Dr. Oloriegbe congratulated the visiting scribe of NHIS, describing his appointment as critical for the agency and the nation especially at this time.

He hinted that there is mounting pressure for practical and quick results from the organisation under the new leadership, and therefore promised the full and consistent support of the committee and indeed the 9th Senate, which he described as “a better assembly that works for the people”.

Senator Oloriegbe advised the NHIS helmsman to give immediate attention to the challenges of the Scheme, particularly in the areas of human resources, stakeholder interests and minimal coverage.

The Scheme has continued to receive assurances of local and international support since the emergence of Professor Sambo as Executive Secretary of NHIS.