As President Buhari signs the National Health Authority Bill into law, 83 million Nigerians would benefit
President Buhari signed the National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2022 into law, which would cover 83 million Nigerians.
According to a statement made on Thursday by presidential aide Garba Shehu.
“The National Health Insurance Scheme Act, Cap N42, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004,” he said.
During the signing of the law, Garba Shehu cited his principal as saying that a fund would be established “to ensure coverage of 83 million impoverished Nigerians who cannot afford to pay premiums as suggested by the Lancet Nigeria Commission.”
“For the large number of vulnerable individuals who are not able to pay health insurance premiums, a Vulnerable Group Fund will be set up to include a component of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund due to the Authority, Health Insurance Levy, Special Intervention Fund, and any investment proceeds, donations, and gifts to the Authority,” Buhari was quoted as explaining.
The Authority would work with state government Health Insurance Schemes to accredit basic and secondary health facilities and enroll Nigerians in the program, according to Buhari.
This is part of a larger effort to assure the provision of high-quality health care. The Authority and state governments will be able to build information management systems and digital records under the new Act, which will improve data collecting, monitoring, and quality assurance.
As a result, the Nigerian leader encouraged the Health Reform Committee to collaborate with state governments, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the National Health Insurance Authority to ensure that the new Act’s articles are implemented, according to the statement.
