Poor kids and de aged in Nigeria dey face big challenges when it come to accessing affordable health insurance. One of de main problems be affordability. Even small premiums or co-payments fit be too much for families wey dey live below de poverty line.
Experts like Funmi Omo, Managing Director of Enterprise Life Assurance Limited Nigeria, talk say administrative hurdles like complex enrollment processes and low awareness of available programmes also prevent families from getting de insurance dem need. Omo stress say insurance be for all, including de poor and de vulnerable, and advise people to approach insurance firms for more information.
Globally, especially in developing regions like sub-Saharan Africa, only about four per cent of children have any form of health insurance. Dis lack of coverage dey due to broader systemic issues, including underfunded healthcare systems, shortages of healthcare professionals, and de logistical difficulties of reaching remote populations.
However, some global health insurance models offer hope. Universal Health Coverage be one strategy many countries adopt to ensure all citizens have access to essential healthcare services without facing financial hardship. For example, Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme has significantly increased healthcare access for vulnerable populations, including children, pregnant women, and de elderly. De scheme has improved health outcomes by removing financial barriers to care.
Brazil’s Unified Health System also provides free healthcare to all citizens, including underserved children and de elderly. Studies show dat Brazil’s SUS has dramatically reduced healthcare disparities, especially among de elderly, who now have better access to preventive care and treatments for chronic conditions.
In Nigeria, innovative efforts are being made to extend health insurance coverage to vulnerable populations. In Gombe State, for instance, de government has initiated programmes to increase health insurance coverage for poor kids and de aged. These local and global models offer valuable lessons for countries like Nigeria striving to improve health insurance coverage.
