Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Muhammed Sambo
The Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Muhammed Sambo has said Nigeria can achieved Universal Health Coverage by 2030 if all factors of implementation work according to details set out in the Scheme’s 10 years’ strategic plan.
Prof. Sambo who made this known at the opening of a two-day management retreat in Kaduna said that adopting the 10-years strategic plan document with careful implementation of the roadmap will ultimately bring the country at par with other nations where out of-pocket expenditure for health has been eliminated.
He said the strategic plan document sets out in elaborate terms the roles of all stakeholders, activities and timelines as well as cost implications of all initiatives within the ten year penod, adding that going forward all efforts will be brought to align with the Strategic plan while also emphasising that a strategic plan is the foundation of success of any organgatwn or people, adding that the corporate objectives of all stakeholders under a decentralized health insurance system has been encapsulated in the document.
The ES, the 10-years strategic plan document was developed by the planning department of the Scheme in collaboration with development partners over the course of one year.”
Addressing concerns that Nigerians in rural communities may be left behind, Sambo gave the assurance that the on-going installation of equipment for e-NHIS in all the Scheme’s state offices nationwide, to link up with state health insurance systems, as provided for in the strategic plan will ensure inclusiveness, further stating that when fully operational health insurance services will only be a handset away.
According to him, persons residing in rural communities but have a handset would be able to use the gadget for purposes of registration, enrolment, selection of healthcare providers and other refevant operations, noting that the Federal Executive Council (FEC)’s approval of the e-NHIS Project was a significant milestone in the drive towards the attainment of UHC.
The 10-year strategic plan document was developed by the planning department of the Scheme in collaboration with development partners over the course of one year.
In another related development, the Prof. Sambo also harped on the need for a review of the National Health Act 2014, to accommodate what he described as “gaps in implementation”.
Sambo was addressing members of the National Assembly at a 3-day retreat on amendments of the legislation at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja under the theme “Resolving the Bottlenecks Around Effective Implementation of the National Health Act (NHA)”.
He highlighted the gaps in the National Health Act as lack of a governance structure to drive its implementation, absence of a concerted effort to create awareness, absence of clear delineation of roles and responsibilities and lack of enforcement of its various provisions by relevant institutions.
He therefore, amongst other suggestions, recommended the constitution of a multi disciplinary steering committee to drive the implementation of the act.
The three-day retreat was held under the auspices of the House of Representative Committee on Healthcare Services.
