Thursday, March 28, 2024

We’ll prevent Ebola’s return – Healthcare providers

The Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria has said that it will ensure that a resurgence of the deadly Ebola virus does not occur in Nigeria.

The President of the association, Dr. Oluwole Umar, while speaking with The Point at the association’s joint mid-year capacity building meeting, said the association, aware of fresh Ebola outbreak in some African countries, had embarked on preventive measures in Nigeria.

“As medical experts, our saying is, ‘Prevention is better than cure.’ We have been on our toes to prevent the resurgence of Ebola. We should monitor our brothers and put into action, the preventive methods that will keep Ebola at bay.”

Speaking on health insurance in Nigeria, Umar also said there was the need for the policy in the country to be reviewed. He said that the capitation system employed through the health insurance policy in the country has not got the needed encouragement from stakeholders.

Umar who had earlier encouraged Nigerian citizens on the need to embrace health insurance as a means to affordable healthcare, also said other professionals in the health sector, apart from doctors, do not want to be capitated.

“Capitation in health insurance should be primarily for healthcare providers. We have what we call global capitation, which involves when a medical director of a facility collects capitation on behalf of the facility.

“He would distribute on behalf of not only the medical doctors, but also other health care providers. “Other professionals, apart from the doctors, are saying they do not want to be capitated; they want to be treated like secondary-care providers, whom you pay more than the given capitation.

“Capitation is pre-payment for health and it is supposed to be paid before services are rendered. It doesn’t mean that if a person is capitated, he must attend the hospital if he doesn’t have any health challenge; he doesn’t need to attend the hospital.”

Umar also said, “Health insurance is the way out to correct the bad health indices in this country. We will get to a stage that you don’t need to spend out of your pocket. It took some developed countries to get it right.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has reiterated its support for the Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria.

The health commissioner, represented by Lagos State Health Scheme Focal Officer, Dr Ijimakinwa Oluwatosin, said that the state government was proud of healthcare providers in the state.

“Healthcare providers have triumphed in Lagos State with their immense roles which could not be overlooked. And for this, the state government will always support in needed areas to ensure excellent delivery of your service.”

A member of the association, Prince Elochukwu Edibo, called on the Lagos State Government to ensure adequate supervision of the health insurance scheme in the state.

“Health insurance service in this state is very low. They have not lived up to expectations at all and we expect that the government should see to this and call them on the need to deliver on their expectation. Lagos residents expect a lot from them.”

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