In a remarkable announcement at the 40th-anniversary celebration of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), Vice President Kashim Shettima unveiled the Federal Government's ambitious plan to expand health insurance coverage, reaching an unprecedented 50 million Nigerians over the next four years.
Representing the vice president at the event yesterday, the special adviser on health, Dr. Salma Anas Kolo, conveyed the administration's commitment to improve the nation's healthcare system significantly.
Salma emphasised that this step is a crucial component of President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope agenda, which seeks to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all Nigerians.
The main pillars of the health agenda include health governance, leadership, and institutional reforms, health financing, and the reduction of out-of-pocket spending on medical services. Moreover, the plan aims to establish integrated healthcare delivery systems, encourage local manufacturing of health products, and boost investments in medical education while simultaneously addressing the challenges of brain drain and medical tourism.
The Vice President further elaborated on the government's efforts to strengthen primary and secondary health facilities, ensuring that quality healthcare services are accessible to every Nigerian citizen. "We will proactively expand insurance coverage, and the government commits to reaching a minimum of 50 million Nigerians by 2027," Shettima announced confidently.
Shettima said the federal government had approved payment of allowances for resident doctors.