Poverty, Joblessness Hindering Implementation of NHI Law – Experts

By Olanrewaju Falayi

Stakeholders have regretted that poor implementation of the National Health Insurance policy, was responsible for inability to make headway in achieving universal health coverage and experiencing of continuous decline in the life expectancy of Nigerians.

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The stakeholders spoke in Ado Ekiti, on Saturday, at a one-day validation meeting of the policy brief on full implemetation of NHI Law, organized by Centre for Social Justice, in partnership with Palladium and United States of America for International Development(USAID).

Speaking at the workshop, the Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Ekiti chapter, Com. Kolapo Olatunde and a staff of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr Jide Oloyede, said National Health Insurance Law that could have made the policy mandatory for all Nigerians couldn’t be holistically implemented due to unemployment and poverty.

The NLC Chairman said many of the workers in the states , who had keyed into the policy couldn’t access quality healthcare in their various facilities as a result of epileptic remmitances of their deductions into the accounts of service providers. 

He said the programme could only be made compulsory for all workers, if the N30,000 minimum wage and the consequential adjustment  are implemented across board. 

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An expert and staff of NHIA, Dr. Jide Oloyede, said though the cankerworms of poverty and joblessness are issues to be considered before holistic implementation of the law, but hinted that government has special programmes that capture poor Nigerians.

“What we have noticed is that, the health insurance programme is well patronised by the federal government agencies. Health insurance is now mandatory, because the NHI law stipulates  that and it is going to be effected.

” The authority is trying to create avenues to ensure that many poor and vulnerable people are captured, after that, the law will be enforced and sanctions await those defying the order”.

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The General Manager, Ekiti State Health Insurance, Dr. Aderiye, said 70% of Ekiti people didn’t have the National Identification Number, saying this was impeding their accessibility of the expected healthcare system under insurance scheme . 

“Knowing that many people are incapacitated financially , government is introducing  equity plan covering elderly, physically challenged, children, pregnant women , and poor Nigerians”. 

However, stakeholders at the event, agreed that transparency and accountability are required  in the management of the policy, calling for the deployment  of skilful human resources for effective management, while also seeking  political patronage to make it all- inclusive.

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“The government should provide incentives for formal and informal participants to lure more people into it and it must make the economy stronger. When people are poor, they won’t be able to enrol in health insurance”, they said.

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