The House of Representatives has resolved to probe the alleged inefficiency in the operations of the National Health Insurance Scheme.
NHIS is a health insurance policy for every Nigerian and legal resident.
The House’s resolution to probe the scheme was a sequel to a motion moved during Thursday’s plenary by the member representing Demsa/Numan/Lamurde Federal Constituency, Adamawa State, Laori Bitrus.
Leading the debate, the Adamawa lawmaker noted that since the passage of the National Health Insurance Act of 2022, the NHIS enjoyed the cooperation of the National Assembly in terms of annual budgetary allocations for it to perform optimally in delivering its mandate to Nigerians.
According to him, enrollees into the scheme “in urban and semi-urban settlements have received extremely poor service from health maintenance organisations, both private and public healthcare facilitates, which is distressing given the harsh reality that Nigerians are faced with the removal of fuel subsidy and other economic policies of the government.”
This is just as he added that medical professionals and other healthcare service providers treat enrollee patients with disdain, “subjecting Nigerians to unnecessary delay with the aim of frustrating patients from accessing services while the HMOs smile to the bank monthly for services poorly rendered.”
He continued, “Some enrollees have recently chosen to pay in full for medical services in establishments other than the HMO they subscribed to, to avoid needless stress and, harassment, that characterised the enrollee patients like beggars devoid of human dignity and respect.
“This scenario could further undermine Nigerians’ trust in the programme if left unchecked considering how crucial a healthy population is to the country’s productivity. The purportedly dehumanising treatment of enrollees and the regular out-of-stock or shortage of necessary medications and consumables in the majority of HMOs require an investigation.
“The House is worried that wherever possible, enrolled patients are made to purchase out-of-stock drugs and consumables outside and they often do so without a refund or any form of compensation from the HMOs, which raises questions about the integrity of the scheme.
“We are also worried about the growing allegations of abysmal service expressed by Nigerians with different unpleasant accounts of frustrations and dehumanised treatments in various HMOs across
the nation.”
According to the lawmaker, if the development is not addressed it would amount to fraud and a gross disservice to Nigerians on whose behalf the government is funding the programme.
Following the adoption of the motion, the House mandated its Committee on Healthcare Services “To investigate the cause of the alleged gross inefficiency of the NHIS and recommend ways the scheme can be made to function more efficiently and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.”