No fewer than 18.7 million Nigerians have been covered by health insurance as of this year’s second querter, the Nigerian Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) said yesterday.
The agency said it has made significant strides in expanding health insurance coverage across the country.
It’s Director-General, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, dropped the hints in Abuja during the inaugural Quarterly Performance Dialogue between the Federal Government, 36 State Governments, and key health sector stakeholders.
According to him, the 18.7 million Nigerians covered by health insurance, surpassed the target set for the period by an impressive 11 per cent.
He said that this achievement highlighted the NHIA’s dedication to achieving universal health coverage (UHC).
Ohiri said: “The authority’s vision is centered on bridging the gap in healthcare access for millions of Nigerians and enhancing the overall quality of care. Despite this progress, several challenges persist.”
He said that one of the significant challenges identified was the uneven distribution of coverage, particularly the disparity between the formal and informal sectors.
To tackle these challenges, Ohiri said that the NHIA had outlined a strategic plan for the future.
He mentioned that the authority aimed to leverage on data and technology to enhance service delivery and patient outcomes.
He said that the NHIA was optimising operations and fostering citizen engagements in its commitment to improving healthcare access.
“The authority has set an ambitious target to cover 20 million Nigerians by 2027, a goal that underscores its comprehensive vision for universal health coverage in the country,” he said.