Dr. Mohammed Sambo, Director General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has stated that one effective way of sustaining the National Health Insurance Policy could be the allocation of an oil block dedicated to that purpose.
According to Dr. Sambo, if taken into account, it could seamlessly fund the health needs of over 83 million vulnerable Nigerians.
To back up his point, he said that if the government can give oil blocks to individuals, why can’t it give them to 83 million vulnerable Nigerians? Remembering how a retired General confided in him that he sold his oil block for $500 million.”
On Saturday, he addressed the Association of Nigeria Health Journalists (ANHeJ) at its 6th Annual Conference in Akwanga, Nasarawa State.
The National Health Insurance Authority boss, who was represented at the event by Mr. Emmanuel Ononokpono, the Public Affairs Manager, stated that the Act gives hope to 83 million vulnerable Nigerians that they will be captured without providing the agency with the resources to do so.
In another suggestion, he said the government could consider charging one kobo per second on all mobile calls to fund healthcare for vulnerable Nigerians.
“You can’t have universal health coverage unless it’s mandatory.” “The Act gives hope to millions of vulnerable Nigerians who cannot afford healthcare,” he said.
Sambo, on the other hand, lamented the flood of coverage. The NHIA covers only 15 million Nigerians out of a total population of nearly 220 million.
He promised that the agency would keep working until the NHIA became the envy of all Nigerians. “In the United Kingdom, the NHS is the symbol of health-care delivery.”
