Following the Federal Government’s new law on universal health coverage, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has asked the government to quickly bring back the board of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to help make the plan work across the country.
While speaking in Abuja before the annual Nigeria Employers’ Summit, NECA’s director-general, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said the delay in setting up the board is hurting health care delivery in Nigeria.
He said, “We are concerned that after the President appointed the board chairman, the rest of the board has not yet been formed.”
He added that the long delay is not only bad for the health insurance program but also unfair to the many Nigerians who should be benefiting from it.
The NECA leader said that important issues like this should not be taken lightly. He also pointed out that the NHIA Act is being violated, as the board has a legal role that is currently not being fulfilled.
He urged the Minister of Health to quickly set up the board again to help keep the health program strong and running well in the future.
