President Muhammadu Buhari announced Tuesday that the National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2022, which he signed into law, will assist 83 million poor Nigerians.
The abolished National Health Insurance Scheme Act Cap N42, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 was replaced by the National Health Insurance Authority Act 2022.
President Buhari remarked when bringing the bill into law that it will create a fund "to ensure coverage of 83 million impoverished Nigerians who cannot afford to pay premiums as recommended by the Lancet Nigeria Commission."
"For the large number of vulnerable individuals who are unable 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 said in a statement released by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.
The Authority would work with state government health insurance systems to accredit primary and secondary health facilities and enrol Nigerians in the scheme to ensure the delivery of quality health care, according to the President.
The Authority and state governments can now establish information management systems and digital records to improve data collecting, monitoring, and quality assurance.
President Buhari has charged the Health Reform Committee with coordinating the implementation of the new Act's articles with state governments, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the National Health Insurance Authority.