Stakeholders Advocate PPP in Health Insurance in Nigeria
Stakeholders in the health, finance, industrial and oil and gas sectors have called for the adoption of the Public Private Partnership, PPP, model in reaching the grassroots and in sustaining of healthcare initiatives in Nigeria through.
The stakeholders, in a communiqué at the Livewell Initiative, LWI, Strategic Focus Group Meeting on Promotive Healthcare in Lagos, said the PPP model, in addition to a proactive and deliberate strategy, will help facilitate wellness promotion and health status awareness among the populace.
The communiqué signed by Mrs. Bisi Bright, Chief Executive Officer, LWI, emphasised the need for healthcare services to be made available to the general population, especially in view of the burden of diseases which is a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency affair.
“The starting point should be advocacy, awareness and thereafter, there should be leadership by government and the private sector, and, lastly, legislation and enforcement.
“Health insurance should be offered to workers through their employers so they can access healthcare. Out of pocket expenditures for healthcare should be minimised with community health insurance for the informal sector and for poorer populations who pay for health out of pocket.
“Preventive measures should be emphasised in order to avoid loss of health, financial costs of treatment, and loss of ability to work, which can lead to further impoverishment. “A lack of awareness and understanding of current public health resources including the Community Based Health Insurance Scheme (CBHIS) exists, which results in wasted resources due to underutilised staff. Raising awareness of this, health fairs, screening opportunities, and other healthcare resources must be made a priority,” the communiqué noted.
Participants at the meeting include: Dr. Dr. Olufemi Olugbile, Permanent Secretary Health Lagos State , who acted as the Chairman; Dr. Mona Khanna, Clinical Associate Professor, University of Illinois, USA, and Fox Chicago News Medical Contributor, who doubled as the Co-Chairman; Dr. Edet Edet, Public Health Adviser, Shell Petroleum Development Company; Mrs. Kemi Ajayi, Chief Operating Officer, Banwo & Ighodalo; Mr. John Edheku, National Sales Manager, May & Baker, Mrs. Bisi Bright and Dr. Adebola O. Hassan, Technical Specialist Health, USAID SHOPS, among others.
The participants expressed concern over significant increase in the statistics of maternal mortality rate in the country, calling for a synchronisation between the government and the private sector with the advocacy and increased primary healthcare activities.
They also advocated the need for collaboration between the communities, partners, NGOs and the health system.
The participants blamed the negative socio-behavioral and attitudinal response of low literacy women to the health facilities, was responsible for high maternal mortality rate, adding that the statistics can be brought down through community engagement programmes.
The stakeholders, in a communiqué at the Livewell Initiative, LWI, Strategic Focus Group Meeting on Promotive Healthcare in Lagos, said the PPP model, in addition to a proactive and deliberate strategy, will help facilitate wellness promotion and health status awareness among the populace.
The communiqué signed by Mrs. Bisi Bright, Chief Executive Officer, LWI, emphasised the need for healthcare services to be made available to the general population, especially in view of the burden of diseases which is a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency affair.
“The starting point should be advocacy, awareness and thereafter, there should be leadership by government and the private sector, and, lastly, legislation and enforcement.
“Health insurance should be offered to workers through their employers so they can access healthcare. Out of pocket expenditures for healthcare should be minimised with community health insurance for the informal sector and for poorer populations who pay for health out of pocket.
“Preventive measures should be emphasised in order to avoid loss of health, financial costs of treatment, and loss of ability to work, which can lead to further impoverishment. “A lack of awareness and understanding of current public health resources including the Community Based Health Insurance Scheme (CBHIS) exists, which results in wasted resources due to underutilised staff. Raising awareness of this, health fairs, screening opportunities, and other healthcare resources must be made a priority,” the communiqué noted.
Participants at the meeting include: Dr. Dr. Olufemi Olugbile, Permanent Secretary Health Lagos State , who acted as the Chairman; Dr. Mona Khanna, Clinical Associate Professor, University of Illinois, USA, and Fox Chicago News Medical Contributor, who doubled as the Co-Chairman; Dr. Edet Edet, Public Health Adviser, Shell Petroleum Development Company; Mrs. Kemi Ajayi, Chief Operating Officer, Banwo & Ighodalo; Mr. John Edheku, National Sales Manager, May & Baker, Mrs. Bisi Bright and Dr. Adebola O. Hassan, Technical Specialist Health, USAID SHOPS, among others.
The participants expressed concern over significant increase in the statistics of maternal mortality rate in the country, calling for a synchronisation between the government and the private sector with the advocacy and increased primary healthcare activities.
They also advocated the need for collaboration between the communities, partners, NGOs and the health system.
The participants blamed the negative socio-behavioral and attitudinal response of low literacy women to the health facilities, was responsible for high maternal mortality rate, adding that the statistics can be brought down through community engagement programmes.
Vanguard/21/08/2013