Nigeria Welcomes Community Health Insurance
Three factors contributing to the plight of Nigeria’s rural population – poverty, disease, and lack of information – could be answered by a new community health care plan in Lagos. An HMO (health management organization) called Hygeia Nigeria Limited has incorporated the Hygeia Community Health Plan, of which Mrs. Njide Ndili is managing director.
According to Mrs. Ndili, there are a surprising number of funds available to target specific illnesses in Nigeria. But while certain specifics are in place, some broader strokes have been taken. For instance, designated hospitals participating in the plan are both public and private, and treatment is not limited to a person’s individual conditions. Therefore, the whole patient is treated once they are admitted, regardless of the number of conditions that may exist.
The plan is funded by a Dutch NGO through a public-private partnership with PharmAccess International. Dutch Health Insurance Fund (DHIF) also plays a role by subsidizing premiums for those in lower income communities needing it the most. This is the first time an international fund such as this has offered insurance schemes of this kind in Africa, and has chosen Nigeria as one of its first candidates for implementation.
Since the Fund covers 90-95% of the insurance rates, participants are able to enjoy premiums as low as N200-N800 per patient annually. In addition to pharmaceutical benefits, both outpatient and specialized care, plus maternal and child care, this low-cost plan also covers patients with HIV/AIDS, which is not covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Other Dutch companies operating out of Nigeria contributed to the plan, ensuring facilities are properly equipped with needed resources. Bacita in Kwara State is another area where the community plan is seeing tremendous results.
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