By Yetunde Oke
Stakeholders in the health sector have called on governments to ensure that universal health coverage is accessible to all.
They said this at the opening of Oyo State Health Insurance Agency, OYSHIA and United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF two days Media Dialogue on Changing the Narrative on Child Mortality Through Health Insurance, in Ibadan.
Speaking on the topic, “Access to Health Insurance – A Gateway to Achieving Universal Health Coverage for All in Nigeria” a UNICEF Health Specialist, Lagos State Field Office, Dr Ijeoma Agbo said there was need for equity in healthcare delivery across the country and not only in treatment, but also in health promotion and preventive services.
Dr Agbo who highlighted some factors militating against Universal Health Coverage to include funding, poor awareness and socio- economic factors, noted that children under 5 years, pregnant women and the elderly were mostly affected.
Executive Secretary of OYSHIA, Dr Olusola Akande, said the way to solve health problems in the country was through insurance and called on government and philanthropists to get health insurance premiums for the vulnerable.
Giving a Scorecard in Southwest, Dr Akande said Oyo State which is the first state in Nigeria to key into health insurance scheme followed by Lagos State, has injected about one billion naira into the scheme.
Dr Akande further called on media organisations to propagate the benefits of health insurance scheme which includes wide range of health services, accessibility to health care and equity, especially at the grassroots.
