The National Health Insurance Scheme was set up with the objective of making health care accessible and affordable to many Nigerians. These factors have directly or indirectly contributed to the slow pace of success in the National Health Insurance Scheme. Act 35 of 1999 that established the National Health Insurance Scheme did not make health insurance compulsory for all Nigerians, as is expected in a social health insurance scheme.Thus the move to make the scheme compulsory though necessary has not fared well in the law making chambers of the government. However it is noteworthy that although the scheme has finally kicked off there has been lethargy in implementation of all aspects of the scheme including the Prison inmate insurance scheme, disabled persons social health insurance scheme etc. This inappropriate government response to health care scheme has led to unabated worsening of health care indices in the country.

Source: The Guardian January 18, 2018 05:03 UTC