Study advocates collective efforts on NHIA service delivery to enrollees

A new national research has enjoined health insurance stakeholders to work together towards addressing challenges faced by enrollees under the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).

The research titled ‘Assessment of Patients’ Satisfaction with services provided under the NHIA/NHIS’ conducted by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA)  in collaboration with the Centre for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), said doing so would help improve the quality of healthcare delivery to enrollees.

Speaking during the dissemination of the research findings in Abuja, the lead consultant of the study, and immediate past president of NMA, Prof Innocent Ujah, said improved health insurance coverage is expected to reduce the over 70 per cent out of pocket expenditure in the country.

Presenting the research findings, one of the research coordinators, Prof. Madu Awa, said the study found that NHIA has done a lot toward achieving its set objectives as evidence by the high level of patients’ satisfaction with its services; but still has some limitations and challenges.

He said some of the recommendations of the study include the need to review monthly capitation in view of current economic challenges with possibility of exploring  other sources of funds for coverage of services; the NHIA should lay special emphasis on healthcare provider-patients relationships; NHIA should monitor Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs); get direct feedback from health facilities and not rely on HMOs; and the new NHIA Act 2022 should be studied for implementation of areas that will bring further improvement in health insurance among others.

The Minister of State for Health, Ekumankama Joseph Nkama, said a strategic and sure way   to achieve Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria is through social insurance which is operational as the National Health Insurance Authority, adding that government will continue to evaluate and improve the scheme until we attain the goal of ‘health for all in Nigeria”.

The Director General of NHIA, Prof. Mohammed Sambo, who was represented by Dr Yakubu Agada, General Manager Standards and Quality Assurance of the agency called on NMA, healthcare providers and other stakeholders to support NHIA in ensuring quality service delivery to Nigerians.