The Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has advocated for more concerted efforts by relevant stakeholders to address systemic challenges in attaining universal health coverage.
UNICEF Health Specialist, Dr Ijeoma Agbo, stated this at a two-day media dialogue, on Tuesday in Ibadan.
The media dialogue has as its theme “Changing the narrative on Child Mortality through Health Insurance”.
The programme was organized by UNICEF in collaboration with the Oyo State Health Insurance Scheme (OYSHIA).
Agbo, who spoke on the topic “Access to Health Insurance as a Way to Achieve Universal Health Coverage for All in Nigeria”, said that health insurance brings financial protection by reducing the burden of out-of-pocket expenses by individuals and families.
The UNICEF health specialist, who noted that health insurance facilitates equitable distribution of healthcare resources, said it also promotes equity by ensuring that quality healthcare services are accessible to all persons, irrespective of their socio-economic status or geographical location.
ALSO READ: SFH trains law enforcement officers on HIV service delivery
Agbo said that state governments must dedicate a percentage of their consolidated revenue to health insurance schemes to fund premiums for the poor.
The specialist said that the government should invest more in the primary health care system, an approach that would be affordable to all, and benefits packages that include the minimum basic essential health services.
“Health insurance enhances access to a wider range of healthcare services, including promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative services.
“Individuals with health insurance are more likely to seek timely medical care, leading to early detection and treatment of illnesses.
“Achieving universal healthcare requires a multi-sectoral and collaborative approach, involving government agencies, healthcare providers, civil society organizations, the private sector, communities and the media,” she said.
Agbo also said that inadequate funding, limited awareness about health insurance and its benefits, and infrastructural gaps in health care, among others were some of the challenges of health insurance.
Earlier, UNICEF Communication Officer, Blessing Ejiofor, said that access to health insurance plays an important role in ensuring that children receive the timely health care they need to survive, thrive, and become whoever they wish to be in life.
Ejiofor enjoined journalists to be active advocates by using their various channels and organizations to draw the attention of everyone to the issue to bridge the gaps in health insurance coverage for vulnerable populations.
In his presentation, the Executive Secretary of OYSHIA, Dr. Olusola Akande, said the state government had declared its intention to enroll everyone into the scheme.
Akande said that the initiative was to ensure that all categories of people were brought together to have access to the health insurance scheme basket.
The OYSHIA boss, who noted that health insurance was the best and only way to reach the vulnerable, urged residents to make use of the affordable health care insurance provided by the state government.
ALSO READ: MenFive vaccine revolutionizes meningitis prevention in Africa, says GAVI
Akande, who noted that the human factor was endangering NHIS, said the state government was improving the integrity of its database.
He also said that the state government had committed more than N1 billion to the scheme in the state.
According to him, the premium package for health insurance is N13,500 and that is what the rich, and poor, including the vulnerable pay annually to enjoy the health service package.
Akande, while noting that the health insurance scheme is mandatory, said the state government is enforcing its compliance.
“What we are pursuing is to get as many people as possible on health insurance and leaving no one behind, including the poor, the rich, the rural and urban dwellers.
NAN
