In a decisive move, members of the House of Representatives are pressing President Bola Tinubu to redirect savings from the discontinued fuel subsidy toward improving health services for Nigeria’s vulnerable populations.
Rep. Bashiru Dawodu (APC-Lagos) spearheaded this initiative with a motion during a recent session in Abuja, emphasizing the urgency of bolstering the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to expand coverage for underserved citizens. This proposal underscores the necessity of quality, affordable health care in achieving socio-economic development.
The push for universal health coverage, a commitment adopted by the World Health Assembly as part of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is reinvigorated in light of Nigeria’s struggles with its health insurance system. Despite efforts spanning 23 years, a mere 5 million Nigerians are under the NHIA’s umbrella.
The current system overlooks over 83 million individuals in precarious situations, notably pregnant women, young children, the differently-abled, and the elderly. This gap jeopardizes Nigeria’s SDGs commitment, escalating direct, out-of-pocket health expenses for millions.
Dawodu warned of an enduring healthcare crisis without achieving universal coverage, pinpointing the NHIA’s operational shortcomings. The 2022 NHIA Act’s national health insurance mandate for citizens and legal residents has stumbled, starkly contrasted by the NNPC Ltd’s expenditure of N2.4 trillion on fuel subsidies in the previous year and N3.6 trillion in just half of 2023.
Funding redirection is practical, Dawodu argued, noting that an annual N5 billion could provide for 5 million individuals, a mere N15,000 per capita. The motion concluded with a call for rigorous NHIA oversight and adherence, entrusting the House Committees on Health Institutions and Finance with compliance monitoring.
The reallocation of these substantial financial resources signals a pivotal shift in national priorities, potentially catalyzing significant improvements in Nigeria’s healthcare landscape.
