NHIS: All Nigerians Must Get Health Insurance – FG Panel

All Nigerians must be accommodated in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), a panel set up by the Federal Government to investigate the crisis in the NHIS has recommended.

The panel, in its report submitted to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, recommended compulsory health insurance package for all Nigerians regardless of occupation or social class.

The panel had been set up by the Federal Government to investigate the face-off between the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, the NHIS governing board and the Executive Secretary of the Scheme, Professor Usman Yusuf, after the latter was suspended on different occasions by the minster the board for alleged financial misappropriation.

The panel also advised the government to review the NHIS Act and health tariff to enable it re-position the Scheme for efficiency.

“The effective performance of the Scheme is key to the realization of the Universal Health Coverage agenda of Mr. President. Accordingly, the Panel recommends that: The Scheme should be lCT-driven,” the report read.

“The tariff (Capitation and Fee For Service) should be reviewed tn accordance with the relevant guidelines of the Scheme.

“Government should put in place a ten years strategic plan with key indicators to give the scheme a sense of direction. Government should review the enabling Act to make health insurance compulsory for all Nigerians.

“Government should immediately direct the Overseeing Director to issue letters of De-secondment of the 13 Nos staff of the NHIS irregularly seconded to the Scheme, who were directed to step aside on 8th March, 2017.

“Government should ensure strict fiduciary management of the pooled resources (and) the Scheme should ensure regular stakeholders meeting to evatuate its performance.”