All Nigerians must contribute to achieve affordable healthcare - Expert

A former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr. Dogo Mohammed, has said that everyone must contribute his quota for Nigeria to achieve Universal Health Coverage. Universal Health Coverage means ensuring individuals and communities access healthcare services without suffering financial hardships. Speaking during a roundtable on Universal Health Coverage organised by Universal Health Coverage Nigeria 2025 organisation in Abuja, he said the coverage was a collective task, and that Nigeria must not be left out in achieving it as it would go a long way in enhancing health care delivery. “Universal health coverage requires universal contribution,” he added. The Acting Executive Secretary of NHIS, Malam Ibrahim Atahiru, said there must be adequate and strategic planning in place to achieve Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria. He said in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the scheme had over the years achieved a major reform that saw states of the federation implement health insurance schemes, also called State Social Health Insurance Initiative. He maintained that NHIS would pursue the UHC mandate allocation of resources and subsidised coverage for poor and vulnerable individuals as well as promote uniformity of the coverage across the country. The Chairman, Universal Health Coverage Nigeria 2025, Dr Hope Uweja, said the roundtable was organised because it had become very important to brainstorm and proffer solutions to better health care coverage in the country.