The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Coordinator in Borno State Ahmed SD Jamal has called on stakeholders in the health insurance ecosystem to do everything necessary to contribute towards the attainment of Universal Health Coverage.
He made the call at a Stakeholders’ Forum with enrollees, healthcare facilities and the Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) in Maiduguri.
The coordinator said with the signing of the NHIA Act 2022, health insurance is now mandatory in the country.
“I am sure as a result of this law the coverage of the people in the rural areas and that of the majority of the people that are in the informal sector of the economy would be faster,” the coordinator stated.
Various presentations were made at the forum. The lead presenter Mohammed Mohammed, Head of Programmes, made emphasis on the role of Group Individual and Family Social Health Insurance Programme (GIFSHIP) in enhancing the coverage of those not covered by the other programmes of the Authority.
He said the programme is meant to cover artisans, farmers, and self-employees, members of civil society organizations, unions and associations, entrepreneurs and small companies.
Dr. Adamu Maaji and Dr. Jafaru Muhammed of SQA Department respectively made their presentations on the NHIA benefit package as well as the rights and privileges of enrollees.
Dr. Maaji informed the participants that the NHIA benefit package is comprehensive as it contains all the essential drug list of Federal Ministry of Health and the package started from the primary level of healthcare, secondary up to the tertiary.
Dr Jafaru drew the attention of healthcare providers to ensure the availability of drugs at all times as NHIA would not tolerate the issue of out of stock.
Madam Funmi of Clearline HMO called on healthcare providers to submit their fee for service claims in time to ensure timely payment. Madam Bose of Aiico Multisheld HMO warned healthcare providers to desist from doing anything inimical to the NHIA Operational Guidelines.
Abdullah Hassan of Royal Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri appealled to the HMOs for prompt payment of the healthcare providers’ fee for service claims.
