The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says with President Muhammadu Buhari signing into law the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act, access to health care will be possible for all Nigerians by 2030.

NHIS deputy general manager Emmanuel Ononokpono disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.

“For over two decades, industry professionals had sustained the call for (an) amendment to the health insurance law, being a major impediment to the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC),’’ Mr Ononokpono said. “By this development, efforts to tackle the high incidence of poverty caused by out-of-pocket expenses for health care, through health insurance for all categories of Nigerians by 2030, are now more realisable than ever before.”

Mr Ononokpono noted that the act established and empowered the NHIA to ensure the provision of health insurance for all Nigerians through a mandatory mechanism in collaboration with state health insurance agencies.

He explained that sections 25 and 26 of the act established the Vulnerable Group Fund (VGF), indicating the various sources from which funding would be drawn.

Mr Ononokpono also mentioned that the legislation strengthened the NHIA to discharge a wide range of regulatory and promotion functions to ensure access to quality and affordable health care for Nigerians.

He further stated that the legislation Mr Buhari assented to did not provide a telecom tax as a source of funding in the law, contrary to reports in some national media.

(NAN)