National Health Insurance Scheme: A pathway to a sustained access to medicine in Nigeria

Objective- The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has at its aim the need to ensure that every Nigerian has equal access to good quality health care services. So far, only the Formal Sector Social Health Insurance Program (FSSHIP) aspect of the scheme has been fully activated. The question remains, why the delay towards universal coverage? Design- The study was a cross-sectional and mixed method design. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized for the study. Setting- This study was conducted in NHIS accredited facilities in Enugu State. Participants- A sample of 300 enrolees were selected randomly. For the qualitative study, 6 in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted face to face with NHIS desk officers across the three tiers of health care represented. Results- The qualitative findings shows that 94.9% of respondents sought medical help. 78.4% of the respondents indicated that the scheme improved their access to care. The qualitative finding found that there was no discrepancy in access among socio-economic groups. NHIS was reported to have improved access to medicine over the years. In the qualitative, majority of the IDI respondents stated that many of the staff in NHIS accredited facilities are not trained on what is expected or required of them with regards to the scheme. Conclusion- A focus on accessibility, affordability and availability for the scheme means that on account of either of the three, all facility categories and their interests must be considered in further planning of the scheme to ensure that things hold up fine. Keywords- Access to medicine, National Health Insurance Scheme, Universal Health Coverage, Nigeria. Article Summary Strengths and Limitations - The study participants were only from one state. - The study only focused on NHIS and NHIS accredited facilities. - NHIS desk officers, hospital directors and admin officers were the focus for IDIs.