The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency (OYSHIA), has shed light on the alarming rise in child mortality rates in Nigeria, attributing the trend to the low enrollment in health insurance schemes across the country.
According to data extracted from the 2023 report on Levels and Trends in Child Mortality by UNICEF, 278 million children die before the age of 5 between 1990 and 2022.
Also, the disparity in mortality risk is stark, with children under the age of 5 in sub-Saharan Africa facing an 18-fold higher risk compared to those in Australia and New Zealand.
In light of this, UNICEF and OYSHIA voiced concerns over the prevalent patronage of unqualified healthcare providers by pregnant women, despite the availability of superior healthcare through insurance coverage, adding to tragic outcomes for both mothers and their infants.
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Moreover, the root cause of this healthcare crisis, as identified by experts, lies in the misconceptions and lack of comprehensive awareness surrounding health insurance schemes, resulting in poor enrollment rates among citizens.
In response to this pressing issue, stakeholders emphasize the urgent need for widespread adoption of health insurance schemes to mitigate child mortality rates and alleviate the burden of out-of-pocket healthcare expenses on vulnerable families.
During a recent two-day media dialogue workshop themed “Changing the Narrative on Child Mortality Through Health Insurance” held in Ibadan, Oyo State, UNICEF advocated for heightened advocacy and awareness efforts, particularly targeting state governments, to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Speaking at the event, a Health Specialist with UNICEF, Ijeoma Agbo, highlighted the incremental progress in health insurance coverage across Nigeria but acknowledged significant gaps, particularly among vulnerable populations.
“To accelerate progress towards UHC, a collaborative approach involving government agencies, healthcare providers, donor agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, communities, and the media is essential,” she said.
Also at the event, the Executive Secretary of OYSHIA, Olusola Akanda, unveils ambitious plans to insure over 500,000 individuals in Oyo State by the end of 2024.
He underscored the necessity for constant innovation to facilitate widespread adoption of UHC, revealing the state government’s substantial investment exceeding N 1 billion towards the scheme.
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“In Oyo State today, we are enrolling everybody and every benefit package has a limit,” he said. “We are focused on enrolling people living with disabilities, people in the informal sector, the vulnerable and the poor so they can access quality and affordable healthcare.”
Buttressing this, Dauda Stephen, Director of Marketing and Quality Assurance at OYSHIA, highlights the agency’s commitment to extensive advocacy efforts aimed at educating the populace on the importance of embracing health insurance.
“The agency is spending a lot on advocacy to educate the people on the need to embrace health insurance,” Stephen said, highlighting the critical role of awareness in driving increased enrollment.
On her part, the Communication Officer at UNICEF, Blessing Ejiofor, noted the pivotal role of health insurance in ensuring children receive timely healthcare services critical for their survival and overall well-being.
“Access to health insurance plays an important role in ensuring that children receive timely healthcare services they need to survive, thrive and fulfil their potential in life,” she said, urging journalists to leverage their platforms to advocate for improved health insurance coverage for vulnerable populations.
As Nigeria grapples with the reality of escalating child mortality rates, the collective resolve of stakeholders to promote inclusive health insurance coverage stands as a beacon of hope in safeguarding the well-being of the nation’s most vulnerable population.
