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NHIA Surpasses Target, Covers 18.7m Nigerians in Q2 2024 – DG
The Nigerian Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says it has made significant strides in expanding health insurance coverage across the country.
Dr Kelechi Ohiri, the Director-General of NHIA, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during the inaugural Quarterly Performance Dialogue between the Federal Government, 36 State Governments, and key health sector stakeholders.
According to Ohiri, as of the second quarter of 2024, nearly 18.
7 million Nigerians were covered by health insurance, surpassing the target set for the period by an impressive 11 per cent.He said that this achievement highlighted the NHIA’s dedication to achieving universal health coverage (UHC).
“The authority’s vision is centered on bridging the gap in healthcare access for millions of Nigerians and enhancing the overall quality of care.
“Despite this progress, several challenges persist,” he said.
He said that one of the significant challenges identified was the uneven distribution of coverage, particularly the disparity between the formal and informal sectors.
To tackle these challenges, Ohiri said that the NHIA had outlined a strategic plan for the future.
He mentioned that the authority aimed to leverage data and technology to enhance service delivery and patient outcomes.
He said that the NHIA was optimising operations and fostering citizen engagements in its commitment to improving healthcare access.
“The Authority has set an ambitious target to cover 20 million Nigerians by 2027, a goal that underscores its comprehensive vision for universal health coverage in the country,” he disclosed.
According to him, the positive trend in health insurance coverage is a crucial step towards ensuring more Nigerians can access quality healthcare.
“The authority’s focused approach and commitment to addressing current challenges positions it as a vital player in the journey towards universal health coverage in Nigeria,” he added.
Report says that at the inaugural Quarterly Performance Dialogue, the first quarter, maternal and child health indicators across Nigeria were discussed.
The latest health scorecard findings reveal a complex picture of progress and challenges.
While there have been improvements in some areas, significant issues persist, particularly in antenatal care attendance and data quality.
The report indicates a positive trend in skilled birth attendance (SBA) coverage, with improvements seen in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the third quarter of 2023.
This suggests that more women are receiving professional care during childbirth, which is crucial for reducing maternal and infant mortality rates.
However, the coverage rates for the first antenatal care visit (ANC-1) have fallen below 80 per cent in most states. The drop-off in SBA coverage compared to ANC-1 is particularly concerning.
The highest coverage rates for ANC-1 are observed in the Northeast, while the North-Central region lags behind.
The decline in ANC-1 visit coverage in all states from the third quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024 raises alarms.
Some states reported coverage rates exceeding 100 per cent in the third quarter of 2023, suggesting issues with data accuracy.
Moreover, coverage for the fourth antenatal visits has generally been higher according to the 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey/National Immunisation Coverage Survey (MICS/NICS) compared to reports from the District Health Information System (DHIS-2).
A reduction in ANC-4 coverage compared to ANC-1 highlights significant challenges in ensuring continuity of care for pregnant women.
Most states reported lower ANC-4 coverage in the first quarter of 2024 than in the third quarter of 2023, indicating that many women are not receiving the recommended number of antenatal visits.
The scorecard also points to inconsistencies in vaccination coverage.
The Penta-3 vaccine coverage, critical for protecting children against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus, was lower in the 2021 MICS/NICS survey compared to DHIS-2 reports.
Additionally, some states reported Penta-3 coverage rates above 100 percent in Q1 2024, again highlighting potential data quality issues.
On a positive note, all states reported that more than 70 per cent of malaria cases were treated with Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT).
However, some states recorded ACT treatment rates above 100 per cent, suggesting discrepancies in the reported data. (NAN)
By Mike Tayese, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri has directed security commanders in the state to ensure that a Judge of the state high court, Justice Ebieyerin Omukoro that was abducted by armed men on Saturday in Yenagoa is released without harm.
Diri gave the directive on Monday in Sagbama town during his ongoing local government thank-you tour to Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.
He also warned criminal elements and their sponsors to retrace their steps as there was no hiding place for them following the state government’s investment in closed circuit television cameras and other security gadgets.
Diri said kidnappers of the Judge were caught on CCTV cameras and that investigation would unravel their identity.
“From the minute I was informed about the high profile kidnap of a judge of the state high court, l summoned security commanders in the state and gave them a directive to ensure that the judge comes out alive and fit.
“Let me tell those that are either sponsors or are involved in the kidnap, it is time to give up. You cannot terrorise and intimidate your own people.
“Government has invested so much in the security sector and the installed closed circuit television cameras captured footage of the incident.”
Diri appreciated the people of Sagbama local government area for giving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bloc votes in the November 11, 2023 governorship election that returned him and his deputy to office for a second term.
He also urged them alongside the Ekeremor council that makes up the Bayelsa West senatorial district to remain united and promote peaceful coexistence.
The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, in his remarks, described Sagbama as headquarters of the PDP in the state.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo said the governor got the highest votes from Sagbama, which he referred to as ‘Kano votes’ in the 2019 and 2023 governorship polls, as the people had unflinching loyalty to the PDP.
The deputy governor, who hails from Sagbama, stressed that the local government would remain a stronghold of the party and expressed gratitude to the immediate past governor and Senator representing Bayelsa West, Chief Seriake Dickson, for making a good choice in Senator Diri as his successor.
He equally thanked the people of the three Sagbama constituencies for their steadfast support to Diri’s Prosperity Government.
On arrival, the governor and his entourage visited the palace of the Pere of Kumbowei Kingdom, king Boloyi Sufadoh, where he and his deputy were presented with walking sticks, hats and a copy of the holy bible.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has summoned the management of Air Peace Limited following myriad of consumer complaints from across the country regarding non-refund of ticket fares.A statement by Mr Ondaje Ijagwu, Director, Corporate Affairs of the Commission in Abuja on Monday, said the airline had failed to refund its customers even in instances where it cancelled its flight operations.
He said the airline’s actions potentially contravened Sections 130(1)(a) and (b), and 130(2)(b) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018. Ijagwu said the FCCPA guaranteed consumers the right to timely refunds where advance bookings, reservations, or orders were unfulfilled due to service-provider’s failure.The director said the summon dated June 13, would require Air Peace to appear before the Commission’s headquarters.”This provision enshrines the principle of fair dealing and safeguards consumers against unfair, unjust, or unreasonable practices by service-providers.”In a formal summons dated June 13, 2025, the Commission, invoking Sections 32 and 33 of the FCCPA 2018, requires Air Peace to appear before the Commission at its Abuja Headquarters on June 23.”Specifically, Section 33(3) of the FCCPA mandates compliance and failure attracts severe sanctions including fines or imprisonment.”The airline is further directed to produce documentary evidence including complaint log for refunds over the past twelve (12) months.”Others are total records of processed refunds to date, list of cancelled flights on all routes within the past twelve (12) months, and remedial actions taken to mitigate consumer hardship resulting from cancelled flights,” he said.Ijagwu said the FCCPC had in 2024, commenced inquiries into separate allegations of exploitative ticket pricing, including substantial price hikes for advance bookings on certain domestic routes by Air Peace.He said the airline in response to the inquiry, instituted legal proceedings seeking to restrain the Commission from continuing its inquiry.The director said the summon was a different matter from the inquiry. (NAN)
Sen. Ned Nwoko, the Chairman of the Senate Ad hoc Committtee on Crude Oil Theft, says Nigeria must implement a robust technological framework to curb crude oil theft in the country.Nwoko in an interview in Abuja on Monday, said that crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region had long plagued the nation, resulting in severe economic losses, environmental degradation, and national insecurity.
He said as a country heavily reliant on oil revenues to fund its budget and development, it was imperative that her national assets were treated with the seriousness they deserve, adding that it was time to reclaim control of her oil assets. He therefore advocated for the deployment of AI-Powered Surveillance ranging from drones to predictive analytics to monitor the nation’s pipelines and facilities.He also advocated for the strengthening of the country’s regional security, noting that oil theft thrives in insecurity.‘’Parallel investment in regional peace and stability is crucial. The host communities must be incorporated into the system, thereby making them have a sense of belonging in the oil and gas sector by engaging them into meaningful infrastructural development.‘’There is also the need for collaboration with Tech Firms. We must actively engage global and local tech companies with proven capacity to deliver real-time monitoring and risk detection.‘’Institutional commitment is also needed to curb crude oil theft; NNPCL and other stakeholders must be held accountable.“Monitoring should not just be technological, it must include institutional transparency.‘’Adopting Saudi Arabia’s corporate social responsibility method in collaborating with the oil and gas host communities will also go a long way in tackling crude oil theft.“If Nigeria adopts these strategies and embracs AI-driven innovation, we can reclaim control of our oil assets, meet our OPEC quota, and catalyse real economic development,” the lawmaker said.According to the chairman, senate ad-hoc committee on crude oil theft, we can no longer pretend we don’t know the cause or the cure of our problems.‘’It’s time to stop looking away. We must be intentional, patriotic, and honest. We must emulate nations whose progress is not mythical but practical. Let us do what is right for Nigeria, for now and for the future.‘’The NNPCL and the various international and national oil companies (IOCs and NOCs) operating in the sector must act decisively‘’Under the supervision of patriotic leadership, they must adopt advanced technological systems to protect our oil infrastructure and deter sabotage.’’Nwoko noted that In 2022, the then Group Managing Director of the NNPCL, Mele Kyari, assured Nigerians of efforts to adopt a model similar to that of the Saudi Aramco to combat oil theft and pipeline vandalism.He said that Kyari had admitted then that while Nigeria’s system was not yet as advanced as Aramco’s, the goal was to eventually match their level of sophistication.‘’Sadly, we are still far from that benchmark. As a nation, we must summon the courage to call a spade a spade.‘’We cannot continue with half-measures. Every meaningful step that can rescue this country from the stranglehold of economic sabotage must be taken without delay.‘’To move forward, we must learn from countries that have gotten it right. How did developed nations build systems that effectively secure their oil and gas infrastructure? What strategies and technologies do they use?, he added. (NAN
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