FG Advises Nigerians To Embrace Health Insurance Scheme

The Federal Government has advised Nigerians to embrace health insurance.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige gave the advice during the 2nd board and management retreat of ProHealth Limited HMO (Health Maintenance Organisation) organised by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), in Gora, Nasarawa State.

The retreat was for the orientation of the newly appointed Directors of Pro Health HMO Limited and management of NSITF.

The retreat has as theme, ‘Nigeria health insurance ecosystem: the place of ProHealth HMO limited’.

It was aimed at re-strategising and repositioning the health sector for better performance and provision of qualitative service delivery to the enrolees.

Ngige, who was represented by the Board Chairman, NSITF, Emmanuel Nwosu noted that having health insurance would reduce the challenges of accessing affordable and quality healthcare services.

He said the retreat was a unique opportunity for the stakeholders to deliberate on issues affecting the Nigerian Health Insurance sector, with a particular focus on the role of ProHealth HMO Limited.

The minister said: “This retreat is a unique opportunity for all of us to deliberate on issues affecting the Nigerian health insurance sector, with the particular focus on the role of Prohealth HMO. As we all know, the Nigeria healthcare sector has been facing numerous challenges over the years including inadequate funding, law insurance penetration, and inadequate infrastructure. These challenges have made it difficult for many Nigerians to access affordable and quality healthcare services.

“However, the emergence of Health Management Organisations like Prohealth has played a crucial role in bridging the gap. Prohealth HMO has been at the forefront of providing access to quality healthcare for Nigerians by partnering with health care providers to provide affordable healthcare services to its enrollees.

“This retreat presents an opportunity for us to deliberate on the challenges faced by the Nigeria health insurance sector in providing affordable healthcare services and how Prohealth HMO can continue to innovate and provide quality healthcare services to its enrollees.”

Managing Director, NSITF, Maureen Allagoa said through the Nigeria Health Insurance Authority (NSHI) Act, 2022, the federal government has provided guaranteed access to quality and affordable healthcare for all Nigerians.

She urged the healthcare provider – ProHealth HMO to serve as a bridge between Nigerians and the healthcare providers by managing the provisions of standard healthcare services.

Allagoa urged Nigerians to embrace and subscribe to the HMO for affordable, accessible and sustainable healthcare delivery system.

She said: “The importance of health insurance in Nigeria can never be over emphasised as it cushions the potential negative impact of the persistent underfunding in the health sector. It provides financial risk protection for Nigerians by ensuring the availability of a pool of funds for the provision of their healthcare needs. By making health insurance mandatory for all Nigerians, particularly all employers and employees in the corporate and private sectors, during the Nigeria Health Insurance Authority (NSHI) Act, 2022, the government has provided guaranteed access to quality and affordable healthcare for all Nigerians. Therein lies the plays of ProHealth in the Nigerian health insurance ecosystem as one of the leading health maintenance organisations just like its parent body, the NSITF, which is a leading social security institution in Nigeria, and indeed Africa.

“Like the adage that says that a lion can only give birth to a lion, ProHealth HMO cannot afford to be anything less than a leader above the over 60 registered HMOs in the country. It is your responsibility to serve as a bridge between Nigerians and the healthcare providers by managing the provisions of standard healthcare services.

“With over 800 health providers in your network, 50,000 plus enrollees and one million successfully trained persons, I am confident that you are positioned to be a world class maintenance organisation in line with your organisation’s vision. Swift customer care service, automated system of operation, provision of customer service that can tend to the needs of individual clients are some of the key strategies that distinguish major players in the health insurance ecosystem and I am glad to note that ProHealth is already operating in that direction.

“You must ensure that you adhere to your core values in service delivery with passion, relentless pursuit of excellence and financial prudence and responsibility, while displaying hundred percent professionalism, commitment and confidentiality in your interactions with your enrollees. May I use this opportunity to welcome the newly appointed management board of PoHealth HMO and beseech you to bring your wealth of experience and exceptional skill to bear on this organisation.

“ProHealth Chairman, Board of Directors

This is for the whole world to know that we have come of age, and we are dropping this from the bottom of our hearts as nipping the bud at this point in time. I want to say that by section 17 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended, adequate medical and health facilities for Nigerians is guaranteed through the section of our constitution.

“The only way to realise this objective is through social security. At the height of this social security, is what NSITF is leading and NSITF, is the pioneer social security organisation and leading this. Provision of an efficient health care system with modern health facilities requires enormous capital and resources. The global best practices endorsed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is through a social insurance scheme and this is driven by one of our subsidiaries, that is the ProHealth HMO.

“We enjoin all Nigerians to embrace and subscribe to this key for affordable, accessible and sustainable health care delivery system in this country of ours, Nigeria. It is the way to go for Nigeria in the overall interest of our general well being. Remember, health is wealth.”

Chairman, Board of Directors, ProHealth Ltd, Prof. Gabriel Okenwa, said Nigerians deserved the provision of an efficient healthcare system with modern healthcare facilities.

Doing so, he said, required enormous capital and resources which could only be achieved through ‘Social Security.’

He said: “Looking at section 17 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended, adequate health and medical facilities for Nigerians are guaranteed in the constitution.

“The only way to raise these laudable objectives is through social security and you know Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund is the parent company of ProHealth HMO in Nigeria.