The House of Representatives has ordered a thorough investigation into the operations of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), following widespread complaints of poor service delivery and inadequate healthcare access for insured Nigerians.
This resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Rep. Billy Osawaru, who raised concerns over the growing challenges facing the health insurance system despite various reforms.
Presenting the motion during plenary, Osawaru noted that the NHIS Act of 1999, which sought to protect families from catastrophic medical costs and improve access to healthcare, was replaced by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act in 2022. The new Act made health insurance mandatory for all Nigerians and legal residents, aiming to achieve universal health coverage.
He lamented that, despite the ambitious goals of the law, implementation has been marred by low enrollment, poor funding, and widespread inefficiencies.
“Only about five percent of Nigerians are enrolled in the scheme, and even those face hurdles such as poor service quality, limited drug availability, and continued out-of-pocket payments despite being insured,” he said.
The lawmaker further expressed concern that delays in remitting payments to hospitals by HMOs have led to compromised healthcare services.
“Some hospitals now ration drugs, limit patients to general practitioners instead of specialists, and even deny coverage for common surgical procedures like cesarean sections and appendectomies,” Osawaru stated.
He warned that if these issues are not urgently addressed, they would further widen healthcare inequalities and push more Nigerians into financial distress due to direct payments for medical treatment.
Adopting the motion, the House mandated the Committees on Healthcare Services and Health Institutions were directed to investigate the underperformance of the NHIS, identify gaps, and recommend strategies to improve its efficiency and service delivery. They are expected to report their findings within four weeks.
(Vanguard)
