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The world of Medical and healthcare practice is evolving rapidly, and every practitioner must have a lot of catch-up to make to be in tune with dynamic and trending global health issues.
Aware of this existential truism, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) chooses topical health science themes to deliberate on, in all her (inter)national annual scientific conferences as well as workshops and seminars. For 59 years and counting, the Association has consistently kept faith with this tradition. This was how she asserted herself as one of the most critical stakeholders in the country’s healthcare industry and a leading player in global scene.
This year’s edition of her annual scientific ritual coming on the heels of the just concluded Nigeria’s general election brings a unique experience. The organizers choose for its theme: “UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE: The medical Laboratory priority in Nigeria” to help elicit commitment to health insurance from our political leaders and other captains of health industry.
Universal health coverage (UHC) refers to a health system where all individuals and communities have access to quality health services without suffering financial hardship. Nigeria, with a population of over 200 million people, has been striving to achieve UHC since the early 2000s. The Federal Ministry of Health has developed several policies and strategies to achieve UHC, including the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), National Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP), and recently, the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
The NHIS, established in 1999, is a social health insurance system designed to provide access to healthcare services for all Nigerians. It is funded through premiums paid by individuals and employers, with subsidies for the poor and vulnerable. The NHIS covers a range of services, including preventative, curative, and rehabilitative care, as well as drugs and consumables. However, the NHIS has faced challenges with limited coverage, poor quality of care, and low enrolment rates.
The NSHDP, launched in 2010, aims to improve maternal, newborn, and child health, prevent and control infectious diseases, and strengthen health systems through the provision of essential health services. It is intended to guide institutional reforms, strategic investments, and partnerships to achieve UHC in Nigeria. Unfortunately, the NSHDP has also faced challenges with inadequate funding, limited implementation, and lack of accountability.
The BHCPF, established in 2018, is a financing mechanism for primary healthcare services in Nigeria. It aims to provide affordable and accessible healthcare services, especially to the poor and vulnerable. The BHCPF is funded through the federal government’s annual budgetary allocation, with contributions from state and local governments. The BHCPF includes a Basic Minimum Package of Healthcare Services (BMPHS), which covers a range of services, including maternal and child health, immunization, and screening for non-communicable diseases. It is expected to increase access to essential health services for over 100 million Nigerians by 2023. But as you read this, the scheme is going the way of its preceding contemporaries.
In conclusion, Nigeria has made significant progress in achieving UHC through policies and strategies such as the NHIS, NSHDP, and BHCPF. However, more efforts are needed to ensure that all Nigerians have access to quality health services without financial hardship. This includes addressing the challenges faced by existing health programs and increasing funding for health services in Nigeria.
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AMLSN 2023 conference is set to lead the narratives on how to address and rejig this most important of all sectors of life in Nigeria and chart a better cause for our populace. Political office holders of renown influence and statutory players within and outside the country have confirmed attendance, and are ready to commit to the thematic resolutions of the summit.
To exhaustively do justice to these burning health issues are cerebral eggheads in both private and public sectors of the health industry in Nigeria and diaspora.
This is why you can’t afford to miss this chance. It will be once-in-lifetime opportunity.
Stay tuned on this space and watch out for the publication of the registration link soonest.
See you at the International Conference Centre (ICC) Abuja on November 09th — 12th at 9am each day!
✍️ Jude Eze
Secretary,
Conference Publicity Subcommittee
For and on behalf of the members.
