Senate demands mandatory health insurance for Nigerians

The Senate on Monday called for the provision of mandatory health insurance scheme for all categories of Nigerians.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Sen. Ibrahim Oloriegbe made the call in Abuja at a one-day public hearing to consider two health bills.

The bills are a bill for an Act to repeal the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Act 2004 and to enact the National Health Insurance Commission Bill 2019.

The second bill is a bill for an Act to provide for the enhancement and regulation of mental health and substance abuse services, protect persons with mental health needs.

The bill also seeks for the establishment of the National Commission for Mental and Substance Abuse Services for effective management of mental health in Nigeria and other related matters 2019.

Sen. Oloriegbe noted that the current NHIS only provided for optional health insurance in the country, adding that countries that have made substantial progress towards universal health coverage did so because they made health insurance mandatory.

The senator however, said making health insurance compulsory without sufficient arrangements to subsidise it would not work and as such there is the need to make efforts to subsidise the payments of Nigerians who cannot afford the insurance premium.

“The poverty rate in Nigeria is about 35 per cent of the population which translates to over 60 million Nigerians living below poverty line. This group of people cannot afford insurance premium, yet we cannot allow them to suffer for health care services,” he asserted.

Oloriegbe said the proposed bill comprises nine parts and 79 clauses. Highlights of the bill according to him include the establishment of the National Health Insurance Commission, governing council and its functions.

He said the bill provides for the types of health insurance schemes, registration and licences of various schemes and provision for Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHPF), offences, penalties and legal proceedings, among others.

On the National Mental Health Bill 2019, he said the bill was auspicious and appropriate for addressing the growing number of suicide deaths in Nigeria.

He said it is unarguable that most of the suicides occur due to substance abuse, mental balance and non-availability of services to control the substance abuse.

The senator said the bill made up of 12 parts and 74 sections seeks to provide direction for coherent, natural and unified response to challenges relating to delivery of mental health and substance abuse in Nigeria.

Also, it further seeks to protect the rights and freedom of persons with mental ill-health and substance use related disorders among others.