By Edwin Philip, Lafia

The Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Health Insurance Agency (NASHIA), Dr. Yahaya Bawa Ubam, has urged enrollees of the state health insurance scheme to report health facilities that provide substandard services or request patients to buy drugs outside accredited centres.

Dr. Ubam made the appeal while briefing journalists in his office on the milestones achieved by the state-owned health insurance programme. He noted that some enrollees had reported instances where facilities failed to provide prescribed drugs, describing such acts as breaches of contract that require prompt attention.

“If any facility does not provide the necessary drugs or asks an enrollee to go outside to buy them, that is wrong. All you need to do is check your card and call the numbers on it to report the facility, and we will guide you on the correct steps to take,” he said.

The NASHIA boss also highlighted the agency’s transition from a paper-based claims process to an electronic platform aimed at improving efficiency and reducing delays. “Facilities now submit their claims, referrals and complaints online through our portal,” he explained.

He disclosed that the scheme has recorded 351,610 enrollees across various categories, adding that the state government continues to sponsor vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, children under five, persons with disabilities, and other indigent residents.

Dr. Ubam emphasized that the programme goes beyond treatment of illnesses to include preventive healthcare, health promotion, disease prevention, and rehabilitative care. “Sometimes we organise outreach programmes to educate people on preventing diseases because prevention is better than cure,” he said.

To bring services closer to residents, NASHIA has established zonal offices in Keffi, Akwanga, and Obi, covering the western, northern, and southern senatorial zones of the state. “This ensures residents don’t have to travel long distances to Lafia to resolve issues,” he added.

The Executive Secretary also stressed the importance of primary healthcare facilities, noting that many residents crowd secondary and tertiary hospitals for conditions that can be treated at the primary level. “Primary care is meant for common illnesses such as headaches, malaria, cough, and antenatal care for pregnant women. Each enrollee chooses the primary healthcare facility closest to them,” he said.

Cases that cannot be managed at the primary level are referred to secondary facilities, while complex cases are further referred to tertiary institutions, including the Federal Medical Centre and the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lafia.

Dr. Ubam explained that NASHIA pays healthcare providers through a capitation system, where facilities receive monthly payments based on the number of registered enrollees. He further revealed that the agency recently conducted an actuarial study to review the cost of healthcare services under the scheme, with a view to adjusting payments to providers.

He reiterated the agency’s goal of achieving universal health coverage by 2030, urging residents, especially indigent and vulnerable citizens, to register and obtain their National Identity Numbers, while encouraging well-to-do individuals and groups to pay premiums for residents in their communities.

While commending the state government for its support, Dr. Ubam highlighted that the agency’s activities are sometimes hampered by a lack of operational vehicles, noting that existing vehicles are old and inadequate for monitoring and attending to issues across the state.