Primary health care system in Nigeria which is expected to be the first point of contact to the teeming population is yet to receive full coverage by the National Health Insurance Scheme.
The implementation of health insurance scheme is still at a very slow pace even as the scheme’s plans are enveloped by the unending leadership crisis. But the National Medical Association (NMA) has urged government to expedite action for full implementation of health insurance.
NMA’s National President, Dr. Francis Faduyile enjoined state governments to commence the implementation of the primary healthcare insurance scheme in order to make healthcare delivery available to all Nigerians.
He said these while speaking at the national executive council of the NMA held in Uyo, with the theme Strengthening healthcare delivery in Nigeria: Addressing legal and ethical issues in health care management”.
According to him, the implementation of the health insurance scheme is one of the two critical elements needed to achieve an effective and efficient primary health care delivery in the country.
Faduyile also lauded states that have signed into law the health insurance bills; he also appealed to other states yet to sign the bills into law to follow suit without any further delay.
He said: “A few states in Nigeria have signed into law health insurance bills; there is still much room for improvement. He thank Mr. Governor for signing primary healthcare management agency bill and as well as state health insurance bill into law.
“We call for the speedy implementation so that the good people of Akwa Ibom can enjoy and continue to enjoy the benefits you are showering on them in your administration as the governor of the state.”
Speaking at event, the state governor, Udom Emmanuel revealed that in addition to signing the health insurance bill into law, his administration has also improved health care delivery in the state by setting up the primary healthcare development agency.
The governor added that he has released take-off grant to ensure the implementation of the health care insurance scheme in the state.
He tasked medical doctors in the country to venture into medical manufacturing by partnering with businessmen in that direction, which he reasoned would bridge the gap in medical equipment production and also reduce the huge foreign exchange spent on the importation of medical equipment.