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Tag: NHIS

  • Wabba warns against diverting NHIS fund

    Wabba warns against diverting NHIS fund

    Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Comrade Ayuba Wabba has warned against diverting the Nigeria National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) funds to build  health centres.

    He said this when NHIS Executive Secretary Prof Usman Yusuf visited the Labour House in Abuja.

    According to Wabba, the Congress had written several times against using the fund to build primary health care centres.

    He said: “We are still on our position that those funds should be used strictly as applied in line with the provision of the mandate of the law establishing the National Health Insurance Scheme.’’

    He argued that any attempt to divert the fund would be wrong, as the cash came from the earnings of workers to provide health service for members.

  • Executive secretary to reposition NHIS

    Executive secretary to reposition NHIS

    The new National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Executive Secretary, Prof Usman Yusuf, has promised to reposition NHIS to deliver value to all.

    He made the pledge at the two-day management workshop of the scheme.

    Yusuf, a professor of Haematology-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, said: “My mandate at the Scheme is to design and implement strategies and instruments that will make NHIS a good steward of the nation’s commonwealth. The new process will pointedly have no place for vices and distractions like corruption, inefficiency, impunity and political patronage.”

    Yusuf told the staff of the scheme  to gear up for change that would lead to the evolution of an efficient, dynamic, purposeful, responsible and purpose-minded organisation that is able to address the expectations of all Nigerians, irrespective of social and economic circumstances.

    He, however, said special attention would be accorded the poor and the vulnerable in the informal sector to enable them to access efficient healthcare without financial constraints.

    The NHIS boss, a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians, pledged to run an inclusive administration, adding that he would be fair and firm to all. He promised the staff that hard work and excellence would be rewarded.

    Affirming his intolerance for laziness, gossips, excuses and mediocrity, Yusuf said he would pursue staff welfare and training.

    Meanwhile, Yusuf has unveiled a seven-week transition programme. This include presentations from heads of the various departments, meetings with non-management staff of the agency, consultations with leadership and members of trade unions, familiarisation and sensitisation meetings with zonal and state office coordinators of the Scheme, engagements with critical stakeholders of the industry, and a management retreat to assess the Scheme and move it forward.

    Also significant in the transition agenda are meetings with committees of the National Assembly with oversight responsibilities for the health sector, as well as partnership building advocacies to media institutions.

    In his remarks at a brief hand over  at the end of the sessions, the former acting Executive Secretary, Mr. ‘Femi Akingbade, assuring the new ES that NHIS remains the hub of the country’s quest for Universal Health Coverage (UHC). He said the Scheme can meet the nation’s expectations.

    He thanked management and staff of the Scheme for their cooperation in his 15-month tenure, urging  support for his successsor.

  • Beneficiaries ‘ll be focus of attention, says NHIS chief

    Beneficiaries ‘ll be focus of attention, says NHIS chief

    Beneficiaries of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) will be the primary focus, the agency’s new Executive Secretary, Prof. Usman Yusuf, has said.

    Yusuf also declared that henceforth, all stakeholders captured in the scheme will be held accountable for their performance.

    The NHIS  chief made the declaration during a meeting of the scheme’s Standing Committee and the Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) in Abuja.

    Yusuf, who declared “there’s a new Sheriff in town who cares’’, added that all stakeholders operating under the Scheme will henceforth be held accountable for their performance, including the handling of funds.

    He urged the HMOs to wake up to their responsibilities under his watch and take quality service to all enrollees at every point of need, according them respect and dignity.

    Yusuf warned that maximum  sanction will be applied against any HMOs found wanting, especially in the area of moral and financial trust.

    According to him, the time has come for the enrollees to reap the benefits of their insurance contributions rather than being treated shabbily at hospitals.

    “The enrollee has no one to complain to. Most of you are in Lagos. When they call you in distress, you are rude and drop the call on them. Yet, you collect their money. It is their money and not your money; not government’s money. They give you easy money. Yet, when they go to the hospitals, they are treated like trash. It’s got to change, people” Prof. Yusuf said.

    He said that of all agencies in the health sector, the NHIS has the most potential to change the lives of the people and the HMOs must assist in making this a reality, through better services’ delivery.

    His words: “This is my prayer, I appeal to you all to make meaningful and lasting difference in the lives of the people. We will do this. I want to see action. I want to be able to hold HMOs responsible and say what have you done for the enrollees this quarter, not what has the enrollee done for you.’’

    The NHIS chief accused the HMOs of feeding fat on the contributions of the enrollees without rendering the required service, adding “enough is enough. There’s a new sheriff in town. And we will deploy the strength that accrues to us from the law, and the goodwill of the people and Mr. President to satisfy the enrollees”.

    Describing universal health coverage as NIHS’ major goal, Yusuf urged the stakeholders to realign their focus and operations towards that national objective.

  • NHIS sensitises newly accredited providers

    NHIS sensitises newly accredited providers

    Quality service delivery, easy access and affordable healthcare cost aimed at eradicating out-of-pocket expenditure, being the key policy thrust of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), was re-emphasised at a Health Care Providers forum organised by the Lagos zonal office of the scheme. The forum featured over 200 newly accredited Health Care Facilities in Lagos.

    Speaking at the forum, on the topic, “Achieving Universal Health Coverage”, the acting Lagos Zonal Co-ordinator, Mrs. Awala Ebijuwa, noted that the trend in global best practice is a healthcare financing approach that seeks to eradicate all forms of out-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare. According to her, “more often than not, a greater percentage of the population do not have a pocket to pay from. “Therefore, health insurance approach has become a veritable mechanism to achieving quality healthcare delivery where easy access and affordability are guaranteed with no financial status discriminations,”she said.

    Speaking further, Mrs. Awala noted that “with health insurance, universal health coverage (UHC), as a mandate, is achievable”.  She highlighted the various programmes designed by NHIS to ensure that all Nigerians in all strata of society have health insurance cover. These include the formal sector programme that covers all Federal, states and local government employees, the Military, Police and other uniformed personnel, pupils in public primary schools, students in tertiary institutions and employees in organized private sector.

    The Informal Sector, she said, comprised the community based health programme as well as the voluntary contributors programmes. The vulnerable group programmes, with equity pool for vulnerable groups, covers the physically challenged, prison inmates, children under five years and all pregnant women as well as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). In an effort to ensure that all Nigerians are enrolled, the scheme went into collaboration with the state governments under an initiative called the State Supported Social Health Insurance Programme. This initiative requires the states to enact enabling laws setting up their health insurance agencies through the various Houses of Assembly.

    Mrs. Awala noted that Lagos State has passed the law setting up the Lagos State Health Agency and is ready to flag off operations as soon as possible. She enjoined acccredited Health care providers in Lagos to brace up to the challenges of increased health care needs.

    She reiterated that increased drive in the NHIS, coupled with the newly introduced programmes such as public primary pupils social health insurance and state supported programmes, the enrollee base of the scheme was certainly going to exceed the Presidential mandate, which will as well mean more enrollees and increased income for the providers.

    Mrs. Awala called on the providers to avoid sharp practices and uphold the ethics of the profession, making sure that the enrollees were treated as king, as they will become the mouth piece for the Healthcare facilities on quality care.

    Other presentations such as, NHIS benefits package, referral processes, Offences/Penalties as well as Provider payment Mechanism were also delivered at the forum.

    Responding on behalf of the participants, the National Chairman, Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN), Dr. Umar Sander praised the new drive that has made the scheme leap frog the number of enrollees in the last one year. He called on the NHIS to make the forum a more frequent activity so as to enable a robust participation from all the providers.

  • My tenure at NHIS best ever, says Thomas

    My tenure at NHIS best ever, says Thomas

    A former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr. Femi Thomas, has described his tenure as the best ever in the history of the organisation.

    Thomas, who addressed reporters in Lagos yesterday, described his removal in April last year midway into his five-year tenure as a product of conspiracy.

    He added that it was politically-motivated by “dark forces” bent on staying with the status quo.

    He said one of his achievements was that the NHIS did not rely on the Federal Government to pay workers’ salaries and meet its recurrent responsibilities.

    According to him, he captured over two million people into the scheme, thereby making it more viable.

    Thomas dismissed a claim that he sacked northerners working in the scheme.

    The former NHIS Executive Secretary called for thorough investigation into the murder of his security aide allegedly by security operatives.

    He also denied a report that he was involved in enrolling ghost subscribers into the scheme, leading to a fraud of N327 million.

    The former NHIS boss said the alleged enrolment of ghost enrollees happened before he assumed office.

    Thomas said the fresh allegation was a clear evidence of the desperation of his enemies to pull him down.

    He said: “This fresh allegation is a clear evidence of the desperation of my enemies to nail me and pull me down at all costs. I resumed as the Executive Secretary of the NHIS in November 2013, long after the purported ghost enrollees scheme was conceived and or executed, if indeed it was. So, how can I be held responsible for a crime committed when I was not yet in office?

    “On the contrary, I was the one who asked for the repatriation of overpayment to HMOs when I resumed office. I also carried out an integrity check probe of HMOs, which resulted in the sacking of some HMOs in 2014. How can I scale through the hurdle if I had compromised by collaborating with HMOs on a fraudulent matter? Are you aware that some HMOs brought money to me and I chased them out? Let us check our facts.”

    On his interrogation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over a land bought by the NHIS, Thomas said due process was followed.

    He added that the purchase of the land was approved by the Federal Ministry of Health Tenders Board, adding that the Federal Ministry of Land and Housing did an evaluation of the land before payment was made.

    Thomas said: “The ICPC accused me of buying a land for the NHIS valued at N990 million and that I pocketed 10 per cent of the money. That was a lie. Actually, the property was approved by the Federal Ministry of Health Tenders Board. It was not approved by NHIS.

    “Also, there was an evaluation by the Federal Ministry of Lands and Housing before the land was paid for. The ministry did its evaluation and said it was worth N1.5 billion, yet we were able to negotiate to N990 million.”

    He called on the Federal Government to amend the NHIS Act and make enrolment into the scheme mandatory for Nigerians.

    This, according to him, would create demand and increase revenue, which could be used to fund other sectors of the economy.

    “All I am talking about is just the insertion of a sentence into the NHIS act to amend it. When you make it (NHIS) mandatory, it means all those working, be it in the formal or the informal sector, must contribute something, the way we pay taxes. Those who are not working will be covered through cross subsidy and all other funds from international organisations.”

  • NHIS now compromised, say pharmacists

    NHIS now compromised, say pharmacists

    The Association of Community Pharmacist of Nigeria (ACPN) is urging the Federal Government to make the National Health Insurance Scheme accord respect to all professional bodies in the sector.

    Its president, Dr Alkali Albert Kelong called on NHIS to direct the health management organisations (HMOs) to pay other professionals after verifying their claims on services they have rendered.

    Kelong, who spoke in Lagos, lamented that only doctors presently handle the distribution of money given by the NHIS for  distribution to other professionals within the health chain, adding that this negates the provision of the scheme, and as such, it is discriminatory and unacceptable.

    “Things can work here the same way they work in saner climes but we always bring sentiments into this thing. We are advocating for maintenance in status quo; that all professional within the healthcare delivery system must be adequately catered for in the NHIS. It is when you have respective professionals carrying out their responsibility that you have a better outcome in therapy. One person cannot claim to know everything. In the end, it is the patience that eventually pays for it,” Kelong added.

    Kelong advocated a more enforced regulation to bring sanity into the healthcare system.

    He said the NHIS law is clear on how professionals within the healthcare system should be adequately catered for but the scenario has since changed.

    “We want the insurance scheme to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. You cannot be a judge in your own case, “said Kelong.

    He said: “Prescription comes out of hospitals to pharmacists. But in Nigeria we want a one stop shop where somebody sits and gets all the profit. That is why you see us crying because we want prescriptions to come from us.

    “Go to some of the West African countries, their regulations is more effective than ours. Ironically, we have all the resources and personnel so we won’t normally have had anybody going for treatment abroad. But in a situation where things are not being done rightly under the pretext of Nigerian situation is not acceptable.”

  • Why NHIS bought N990m property, by ex-chief

    Why NHIS bought N990m property, by ex-chief

    THE immediate past Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr. Femi Thomas, has explained what informed the acquisition of a parcel of land near the scheme’s Abuja Head office.

    The land was acquired for N990 million.

    He listed a desire to solve the acute accommodation challenges facing the scheme, the need for enough space for future expansion and the value of the two plots in the highbrow Cadastral Zone, as reasons.

    Thomas said the plots situated beside NHIS Headquarters on Plot 297, P & W Mafemin Crescent, off Solomon Lar Way, Utako District, Abuja, were purchased with a N300 million structure developed on it by its former owner.

    He spoke through his media aide, Adeyemi Adesola, who blamed the controversy now raging over the transaction on those he described as fifth columnists and sell-serving individuals, who believe that it must be business as usual.

    The statement reads: “They are mischievous people who are plant by some vested interests to project their selfish agenda. They have made every effort to discredit and rubbish the reputation of every administration that has passed through the scheme.’’

    According to the statement, the former executive secretary took the “NHIS to an enviable pedestal during the one and half years that he held the forte”.

    ‘’The history of the NHIS has not been exceptionally long. But we can all see that substantial growth and progress have been made in the last two years,’’ he said.

    He described as “total falsehood that due diligence was not followed in the acquisition of the landed property”, pointing out that NHIS’ supervising Health Ministry approved it.

    His added: ‘’When the management wanted to buy the land, as it is the practice, we called the Federal Ministry of Works, and they sent their evaluation department to come and evaluate the property and the report by the ministry put the value of the property at N1.5 billion.

    ‘’Beyond that level of due process, the purchase was approved by the Ministerial Tenders’ Board because it was beyond the approving power of the NHIS Tenders Management Committee.

    ‘’The negotiation was so tight that we could not pay agency fee. The evaluation report by the Federal Ministry of Works showed that the landed property which is about 4000 square metres has a piled foundation for the development of a seven-storey building valued at N300 million.”

    Adesola said it was news to the former NHIS chief that past management before him turned down previous offers, describing such allegations as a deliberate plot to stain his record.

    The allegation, Adesola said, was a calculated attempt to discredit his boss and tarnish his image.

    “My boss was not aware of previous offers made to his two predecessors at N300 million and N450 million respectively,’’ he noted.

    He said: “The need to purchase the land was necessitated by the acute shortage of space for staff. In the office, two or more staff were sharing a desk and we realised this may hamper operation and efficiency.

    ‘’We also know it made a sense of economic of scale  to buy this parcel of land, which has two plots beside our head office than having another headquarter extension in Gudu. We were also conscious of the rate at which the value of land in Abuja appreciates. So, we believe it is not a bad investment for the scheme’’.

    The statement described as unfounded that N49.5 million was paid as agency fee to a firm believed to be owned by Thomas’ associate.

    He said no agency was paid on the property.

  • State workers criticised for shunning NHIS

    State workers criticised for shunning NHIS

    National Health Insurance Scheme’s (NHIS) Acting Executive Secretary Mr. Olufemi Akinbade has decried non-participation of state civil servants in the scheme since its inception 15 years ago.

    Akinbade, who spoke yesterday in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, when he visited Governor Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar in Government House, said in an effort to encourage state civil servants to join the programme, the NHIS opened its offices in all states.

    He said the scheme’s management made it mandatory that officials must visit governors, adding that Jigawa State was the first to be visited because of its commitment to healthcare delivery.

    The NHIS acting executive secretary noted that his delegation was in the state to discuss how to improve the scheme’s coverage to complement government’s efforts toward provision of basic healthcare service.

    Akinbade said the NHIS had already covered five of the seven higher institutions, adding that they want to expand the coverage to include the less-privileged and other vulnerable groups.

    The governor promised to partner the scheme to achieve the provision of accessible basic healthcare service to his people.

    The state government hoped the partnership would enhance its policy on addressing the high rate of child and maternal mortality in rural areas.

    Badaru said his government accorded the health sector a top priority, which, according to him, was the bedrock of production and economic development of any society.

    “People can only work and produce more when they are healthy. If people are sick, certainly the production would be low. So, in view of this, we are ever ready to partner with any collaborator, who indicates interest in assisting us to improve our healthcare service delivery.

    “We have provision for NHIS fund in our 2015 budget. The state team and NHIS team will sit down and study the agreement. But we would tell you what we want from you, as we know the peculiarities of our state better,” Badaru said.

  • NHIS to partner Abia

    The Executive Secretary National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Mr. Femi Akingbade has promised that the health agency would be partnering with the Abia State Government in health service delivery in the state.

    Akingbade who spoke in Aba during a flag-off of the Osisioma Ngwa Better Life Mutual Health Association at the Umuehilegbu Industrial Market in Aba noted that a partnership between the agency and the state government was going to consolidate health insurance projects in Abia state.

    Akingbade promising that NHIS was going to partner and support the Osisioma Ngwa Better life Mutual Health Association to ensure it succeeds and flourishes added that NHIS would subsidize the programme through payment of premium contributions for all registered pregnant women and children under 5years to run for a period of three years.

    NHIS Executive Secretary represented by Dr Eke Jonathan, the Acting General Manager, NHIS, Abuja office disclosed that the purpose of the scheme was to provide health insurance cover and financial risk protection to Nigerians also a step towards the attainment of the NHIS mandate of achieving 40 percent coverage and easy access to healthcare for all Nigerian citizenry by end of 2015.

    .Mr. Olayiwola Lasisi, the Head, Underwriting and Client Services, United HealthCare International ltd, expressed optimism that the programme would be sustained in order to achieve the purpose of its establishment.

    Lasisi who said that the people will be registered with as low as N600 per month in the scheme also stated that they have a mechanism to ensure the Health Association, adding that as part of measures to ensure that the health scheme succeeds the Board of Trustees signatories to the account would not have direct access to the funds.

  • Nigeria needs N1.9tr for NHIS coverage

    Nigeria needs N1.9tr for NHIS coverage

    •Says unplanned spending stands at N2.4tr

    Nigeria needs N1.92 trillion to achieve universal health coverage, the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Femi Thomas, has stated.

    Thomas, however,  pointed out that this should not be difficult to raise as the nation currently spends about N2.4 trillion, which he categorised as out of pocket- unplanned spending.

    The NHIS boss stated these in Abuja during a meeting with commissioners of health and permanent secretaries of the state ministries of health.

    He expressed concerns that the inclusion of health in the concurrent list has generated conflicts between the states and the federation government.

    Thomas vowed that the agency will turn the crisis to synergy to provide affordable health services to citizens

    According to him: “So, the time has come for us to use that principle of synergy to move health insurance forward in the country.”