The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) Wednesday lamented the low enrolment in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The ACPN called for rejection of the obnoxious global capitation mode embraced by the NHIS which pharmacists said “has stifled its coverage potentials such that the 6% coverage at inception in 2006 has now dipped to under 2% (1.72%) in the last 3 years.”
This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the two-day working visit by the National Executive Council of the ACPN to Ondo State.
The ACPN in the communique signed by National President, Dr. Samuel Adekola and Pharm. Abosede Idowu, however welcomed the Bill for an ACT to Repeal the National Health Insurance Scheme Act CAP N42, LFN 2004 and Enact the National Health Insurance Commission Bill, 2019.
But it said the obnoxious “Global Capitation” payment mechanism that “created so much disharmony among providers and made the current NHIS scheme fail should be made a prohibition under the new Bill.”
The communique said, “ACPN frowned at and rejected in totality the concept of “Health Insurance Under One Roof” unveiled by the Executive Secretary of NHIS Mohammed Sambo as it believes this is another way the scheme is planning to put all providers in the pocket of one preferred provider and ultimately denying enrolees of quality services.
“The concept runs contrary to Global Best Practice that separates quality health care services delivery across the different professionals that make up the healthcare team.”
The association however resolved to challenge in Court “all unlawful policy directions of NHIS.”
ACPN commended Ondo State Government for the passage and signing into law of the bill to establish the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission.
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