Military Seeks Review of NHIS Act to Cover Wounded-in-Action Personnel

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The military authorities yesterday called for a review of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to cover the treatment of personnel wounded in theatres of war.

It also called for coverage of high tech diagnostic surgeries and cardiovascular cases not captured by NHIS.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting with military secondary health care providers in Abuja, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Defence Health Maintenance Limited, Rear Admiral A.B Afolanyan (rtd) called for the institution of functional NHIS committees in Health Care Providers (HCP) to avoid misappropriation of disbursed funds by Health Management Organisations (HMO).

Also speaking at the event, Chief of Medical Services, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Olabode Babalola, said the treatment of personnel wounded in military operations were not captured in the NHIS.

He stated that treatment of cardiovascular cases were handled outside the scheme.

“Cases like gunshot wound and cardiovascular injury are not covered and we need the NHIS to take it into consideration. In his remarks, the Chief of Medical Services of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Ibrahim Nurudeen, called for a review of the NHIS Act to cover cases of operational injuries.

“We are making a presentation to the NHIS so that the act can be reviewed.

“We are also on our own trying to also push forward for a review of the Act to include those aspect that are being covered by the Act itself”, he said.

Speaking further, Rear Admiral Afolanyan, who is also a surgeon, harped on prudence in the utililisation of funds disbursed to HCPs, especially, capitation.

“Where NHIS Committees are not in place, not properly constituted nor given the necessary freedom to operate, funds disbursed for healthcare of eligible enrollees are likely to be misappropriated. Utilisation of capitation for purposes other than healthcare of eligible enrollees amounts to misappropriation of the funds and must be resisted,” he said.

“Simply put, it is illegal, many unfortunate situations where large chunks of these funds go into ancillary expenditure, not directly related to patient care is commonplace. Such situations could be checked by the presence of functional NHIS committees. For transparency, the committees should be headed by healthcare professionals other than the commanders/commanding officers of healthcare facilities. Remember the approving authority in this instance remains the commander or the head of the medical unit,” he said.