The House of Representatives has called for a comprehensive review of the medicines price list under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in view of the nation’s present economic situation.
To this end, the House mandated the Committees on Finance, Health Institution, Health care services, and Specialist Health Services to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Health, National Health Insurance Authority, and other relevant authorities to take necessary and urgent measures to ensure a comprehensive review.
The resolution of the House followed the adoption of a motion moved at the plenary on Thursday by Hon. Paul Nnamchi and Julius Ihonvbere.
Moving the motion, Nnamchi said the NHIS overseen by the National Health Insurance Authority as established by Act 35 of 2022 serves as a critical lifeline for millions of citizens.
He said the scheme was envisioned to providing access to affordable, essential and quality healthcare services and medicines for all Nigerians.
The lawmaker said the nation is grappling with economic hardship, inflationary pressures, and rising costs of living, which have had a profound impact on the affordability and accessibility of healthcare services and medications for many of the citizens, particularly the vulnerable and marginalised segments of society.
Nnamchi expressed worry that the existing medicines price list under the NHIS framework no longer aligns with the current market dynamics and cost structures of pharmaceutical products as the last NHIS Price list review was in 2021 when the exchange rate was between N400- 420 NGN to 1 USD as against the current official rate of 1,594.34 to the Dollar.
He lamented that many vulnerable patients especially the marginalised segments of the society are finding it increasingly difficult to get essential and quality medications in the health management organisations (HMO’s), leading to adverse health outcomes and exacerbating the burden of illness on the healthcare system.
The lawmaker pointed out that if no urgent action is taken, loss of lives would continue to deepen, while the economic devastation to the nation continues to increase.
Nnamchi said it was therefore imperafive to address this pressing issue without delay and take proactive steps to ensure that our NHIS remains effective in fulfilling its mandate of providing quality healthcare services to Nigerians,
The House mandated, “the Committee on Finance, Health Institution, Health care services, and Specialist Health Services to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Health, National Health Insurance Authority, and other relevant authorities to take necessary and urgent measures to ensure a comprehensive review of the medicines price list under the National Health Insurance Scheme and report back to the house within two weeks.”