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Tag: Health insurance

  • Tinubu orders mandatory health insurance for MDAs

    Tinubu orders mandatory health insurance for MDAs

    President Bola Tinubu has directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to enforce mandatory health insurance across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

    ‎The directive aligns with the provisions of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act, 2022, and mandates immediate issuance of a service-wide circular to ensure compliance.
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    ‎The President also called for “further, closer and constructive engagement with the private sector on the Act to ensure that businesses are not unduly constrained.”
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    ‎According to a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday, the directive outlines five key areas of implementation across public institutions.
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    ‎“All MDAs must enrol their employees in the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) health insurance plan.”
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    ‎MDAs may also procure additional private insurance coverage where necessary, as long as it aligns with the NHIA Act.
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    ‎“All entities participating in public procurement must present a valid NHIA-issued Health Insurance Certificate as part of their eligibility documentation.”
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    ‎This certificate serves as proof of compliance and is a precondition for participating in any procurement-related activities.
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    ‎“All MDAs must require applicants to present valid NHIA Health Insurance Certificates as a precondition for issuing and renewing licenses, permits, and other official approvals.”
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    ‎To support this, the NHIA will develop a digital verification platform to ensure transparency and ease of access.
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    ‎MDAs are further required to collaborate with NHIA to establish internal systems for verifying the authenticity of submitted health insurance certificates.
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    ‎They must also implement consistent compliance monitoring to ensure all regulatory obligations under the Act are met.
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    ‎The presidential order aims to expand health coverage, protect workers, reduce out-of-pocket expenses, and improve accountability in both public and private sectors.

    ‎The NHIA Act, enacted in 2022, mandates health insurance for all Nigerians and empowers the NHIA to take necessary steps toward universal coverage.
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    ‎In spite of advancements in the health sector, national insurance coverage remains alarmingly low, three years after the law’s passage.

  • How Delta govt subsidises 300 CS births monthly – DG

    How Delta govt subsidises 300 CS births monthly – DG

    The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission, Dr Isaac Akpoveta, has disclosed the State Government subsidises over 300 caesarian sections monthly in all its 550 facilities.

    Akpoveta said this when the officials and members of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Delta Council, visited him in his office in Asaba on Wednesday.

    He said that the state was leading in the contributory health insurance scheme in the country with the current enrollment figure of at least two million persons across the nook and cranny of the state.

    According to him, the state subsidises the healthcare of pregnant women and children under age five free at a cost running into millions.

    “These services are some of the silent efforts of the State Government that are not noticed,” Akpoveta said, adding that only the media as agents of development could highlight  them.

    He said that the commission was created by law in 2016 during Dr Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration.

    He said that the commission began to see patients in January 2017, adding that between then and now, the commission had enrolled over 35 per cent of the residents in the scheme.

    “Delta is No. 1 in every parameter of health insurance in the country.

    “Asaba Specialist Hospital alone covers over 60 to 70 caesarian sections monthly.

    “The scheme by law has plans – the equity plan is for the vulnerable, the formal plan is for the civil servants and the organised private sector, while the informal plan is for the artisans,” Akpoveta said.

    He said that the commission was primarily set up to finance the health sector.

    “With N7,000 premium, an enrollee will have access to healthcare in any facility in the state and those designated outside the state for one year.

    “The commission is set up to cover the residents of Delta from financial constraints.

    “Today, many have been pulled into poverty because of health bills.

    “People sell land and properties to pay health bills and secure their health, so health insurance is to prevent financial disaster and protect the individual from financial constraints.

    “The scheme is to cover all residents of Delta, irrespective of tribe, language or colour, religion or culture but all that live in the state should be covered.

    “The scheme is law and mandatory for all residents in the state.

    “Especially, the state is determined to protect the vulnerable people, particularly pregnant women and children under five and Persons with Disabilities.

    “I am glad that you mentioned that the yearly premium of N7,000 for the health insurance is small compared to the huge cost of accessing medical care but this is possible because the government has been subsidising the cost,”
    Akpoveta said.

    He further said that in 2016, when the accrual determination of how much should cover an individual healthcare in a year was carried out, “it was put at about N18,000 per enrollee”.

    He said that the cost of health servicing would have been higher now, given the inflationary trend but the State Government believed in taking care of its people.

    He called on well-meaning people of the state to support the scheme by enrolling indigent members of their communities in the scheme.

    Earlier, the chapel Chairman, Mr Ifeanyi Olannye of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), lauded the government for its commitment to providing quality healthcare at a considerable cost to residents.

    Olannye described N7,000 annual premium for medical services as an economic rent (gain) for the enrollees, considering the current economic reality.

    He congratulated Akpoveta for “a well-deserved appointment” and lauded his passion for the job, particularly for enrolling students of the state-owned tertiary institutions in the scheme.

    “You personally sponsored and enrolled 1,000 indigent persons in remote communities and other persons with disabilities in the scheme from across the state.

    “Your passion to save lives and ensure a healthy living among residents of the state is in line with  Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori’s M.O.R.E Agenda,” he said.

    The commission’s boss later took the journalists on a tour of some facilities to showcase the automated system provided by the government to drive an efficient healthcare system in the state.

    He also sponsored the enrollment of some members of the chapel in the scheme.

  • Anambra Govt. offers children with sickle cell disorder free health insurance

    Anambra Govt. offers children with sickle cell disorder free health insurance

    The Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA) is collaborating with the state ministry of health to offer free health insurance to children living with sickle cell disorder.

    Dr Simeon Onyemaechi, Managing Director, ASHIA, said this during the registration of no fewer than 20 children living with sickle cell disorder in his office in Awka on Tuesday.

    Onyemaechi, represented by Dr Ngozika Ifediora, State Officer of the agency, said that managing sickle cell could be financially draining for parents and adults who are sickle cell patients.

    “The agency is happy to lend a helping hand in shouldering the financial burden associated with managing the health challenges of sickle cell disorder.

    “ASHIA will continue to support children living with sickle cell disorder in the state,” he said.

    Earlier, Mrs Aisha Edward-Maduagwu, Director, Sickle Cell Orphanage and Underprivileged Home in Agulu, described sickle cell disorder as a genetic disorder which caused a mishap to the shape of the red blood cell.

    This, she said, gave it a sickle shape and the disruption in the shape was responsible for many complications associated with the disorder.

    According to the director, due to the complications of sickle cell disorder, people living with sickle cell require constant care, which involves an excessive financial cost.

    “The management of sickle cell requires routine drugs, frequent medical checkup, routine blood tests, emergency hospitalisations for painful crisis and other health issues.

    “This is why health insurance is required to support the management of this disorder.

    “We appreciate the Anambra state governor, the state commissioner for health and Dr Simeon Onyemaechi for their magnanimity towards children with functional needs.

    “We also urge the government to continue to pay more attention to the sickle cell orphanage home as more children need assistance to keep living,” Edward-Maduagwu said.

  • What we’ve done in 100 days – Osun gov, Adeleke

    What we’ve done in 100 days – Osun gov, Adeleke

    Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun said that his administration, in its first 100 days, had redirected the government’s efforts toward meeting the needs of the people.

    Adeleke, who was sworn in on Nov. 27, 2022 as the sixth executive governor of the state, said this on Tuesday at a news conference in Osogbo, while rolling out the administration’s achievements in the period.

    The governor said he had made provision for potable water in each of 333 wards in the state and constructed 20-kilometre roads across the state.

    He said that the administration had presented the sum of N518 million to 40 communities for infrastructure development.

    In the area of health, Adeleke said under the Imole surgical and medical outreach, 2000 persons in each of the nine federal constituencies in the state would benefit from free medical care.

    He said this was in addition to the enrollment of 3000 indigenes on the Osun Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS).

    The governor also said that since his assumption of office, he had made provision for transformers and other electrical materials in communities without electricity in an ongoing project.

    Adeleke said he had started the payment of salaries and pension arrears from January 2016,  owed by the past administration.

    On infrastructure development, the governor said he had embarked on the rehabilitation and construction of roads across the state.

    He said in a bid to ensure food security in the state, he had approved subsidies on fertilisers and other farm inputs for farmers in the state.

    The governor also revealed that he would be giving bond cheques to the contributory pensioners in the state on March 10.

    He promised that in the next few months, he would embark on robust delivery of services in the area of climate change action plans for job creation.

    Adeleke said that he would also focus on tourism and entrainment, and application of telemedicine to expand healthcare access for artisans, among others.

    “To that end, Osun people should expect more robust delivery of services as well as new initiatives,” he said.

  • NUP commends Kaduna government over health insurance cover for 16,000 pensioners

    NUP commends Kaduna government over health insurance cover for 16,000 pensioners

    The Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) Kaduna State Chapter, on Monday commended the State Government for providing health insurance coverage to more than 16,000 pensioners in the state.

    The secretary of the union, Alhaji Alhassan Musa, made the commendation while speaking with newsmen in Kaduna.

    Musa described the development as “very thoughtful”, adding that with the insurance cover, pensioners would no longer spend all their monthly stipends on medical bills.

    He explained that under the arrangement, pensioners would be required to pay only three per cent of their monthly pension, while the government covered the remaining 97 per cent of health care costs.

    He said that the pensioners health insurance scheme was introduced by the Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA) in collaboration with the Kaduna State Pension Bureau.

    “This is a good development for all pensioners in the state and we welcome it with all our hearts as another strategy of taking care of the aged population in the state,” he said.

    The secretary said that the union had, however, requested that the pensioners be enroled in secondary health facilities or any health facility of their choice.

    “This is because the major ailments of aged people are diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, sight problem, and prostate among others.

    “These are illnesses that are better managed at secondary or tertiary health facilities,” he said.

    On his part, the Director-General, KADCHMA, Malam Abubakar Hassan, said that the measure would lift the burden of out-of-pocket spending on health from pensioners in the state.

    Hassan explained that the initiative was part of KADCHMA effort to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure on health services in line with the goals of the Universal Health Coverage.

    He urged the private sector to take advantage of the health insurance scheme and enrol their families to enjoy affordable healthcare services without exposing them to financial risk.

    Similarly, the Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Pension Bureau, Prof. Salamatu Isah, said that the insurance scheme would enable pensioners to direct their little income to other basic needs.

    “This in the long run, will improve the quality of their lives,” she added.

  • Edo Assembly passes Health Insurance Commission Bill

    The Edo House of Assembly on Monday passed a Bill for a Law to establish the Edo State Health Insurance Commission.

    The law would enable the state government provide improved and affordable healthcare services to residents.

    The motion for the house to consider the bill clause by clause was moved by the Deputy Speaker, Justin Okonoboh, and seconded by Roland Asoro, the Majority Leader.

    The passage of the bill was sequel to the suspension of House Rules, following a motion moved by the majority leader and seconded by the deputy speaker.

    The 8 parts bill, was adopted with minor amendments to parts 1and 2 to include that a representative of the house of assembly not below the rank of a director should be a member of the board.

    The bill also stipulated that a former member of the house who must be a medical doctor should also be among members of the board.

    The board would comprise of a chairman, director general and other members, not below the status of a director from state Ministries of Health, Economic Planning, Education, Justice, Office of the Secretary to State Government and the Office of the Head of Service.

    The representatives of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and Civil Society Organisation would also be members of the board.

    The bill, according to the house when completely domesticated in Edo, will enable government have access to funds from NHIS which will be complemented by the state government for the effective operations of the commission.

    The bill also sought to protect families from the hardship of huge medical bills and regulate, supervise, implement and ensure effective administration of the state contributory health insurance scheme.

    The house also passed a Bill for a Law to Eliminate Violence in Private and Public Life.

    It prohibits all forms of violence against persons and provides maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders.

    Speaker Kabiru Adjoto, directed that clean copies of the bills be sent to the governor for his assent.

     

  • Obaseki to build 3 super general hospitals in Edo

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has unveiled plans to build three Super General Hospitals in the three Senatorial Districts in the state and assured medical personnel of improved working conditions for an effective and efficient healthcare system in the state.

    The governor gave the assurance when he received executive members of the Association of Resident Doctors with the Edo State Hospital Management Board (SHMB) at the Government House in Benin City, Edo State on Monday.

    Obaseki said, “This administration is aware of the challenges confronting the state healthcare system. We are working to resolve these challenges. We have held several meetings to see how to address the peculiar problems with the healthcare system in the state. We have records of medical personnel and state of facilities in the healthcare system in the state.”

    Obaseki, however, appealed to the medical doctors to be patient and continue to support the reforms of the state government to revamp the health sector, noting, “The state government appreciates efforts of medical doctors. Government is working to establish one General Hospital per local government council across the state, while one super General Hospital will be sited in each Senatorial District for optimal performance.

    Noting that the state has made plans for a health insurance scheme, he said, “A bill for a law to set up the State Health Insurance Scheme is before the State House of Assembly. The bill is structured to make provision for affordable and accessible healthcare for people in the state.”

    President, Association of Resident Doctors, Edo State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Karl Umakhine, said, “The visit is to enable us present the challenges confronting the health sector and to contribute to the solutions. It is not true that doctors in the state don’t report at their duty post. We work under difficult conditions but need to be motivated.”

     

  • Cross River receives implementation plan for state health insurance scheme

    The Cross River Government says it will soon commence full implementation of the State Health Insurance Scheme (SHIS) to make healthcare delivery accessible to the people.

    The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs Rosemary Archibong, made this known on Monday after receiving the draft copy of the implementation plan for the scheme.

    An NGO, Health, Finance and Governance, presented the implementation plan to the state government through the commissioner in Calabar.

    Archibong, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Aye Henshaw, thanked the NGO and their partners, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), for producing the document.

    “I thank you so much for this document which, I am sure was painstakingly done.

    “I have hope that this document will guide the state government in making healthcare delivery very accessible to the people.

    “Health Finance and Governance has always shown us the way to follow.

    “We are going to look at the document critically and I assure you that we will implement it for the benefit of the people,’’ she said.

    Also, Mr Godwin Iyala, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Insurance, said: “We are at the point of flagging off the scheme by the governor and implementation will commence immediately.

    “We have selected three Primary Healthcare centres in each local government area and equipped them as a take-off points, while we continue working on others across the state,’’ he said.

    The representative of Health, Finance and Governance, Mr Somtochukwu Mbelu, thanked the state government for appointing the organisation as its guide.

    Mbelu urged operators of the project to make full and proper use of the document to achieve maximum result.