Reps to probe NHIA over alleged gross inefficiency

The House of Representatives has resolved to probe the National Health Insurance Scheme Authority (NHIA) over what it described as gross inefficiency on the part of the agency.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Kwamoti Laori (PDP-Adamawa) during plenary in Abuja on Thursday.

In his motion, the lawmaker accused NHIA of inefficiency and an absolute lack of service delivery to Nigerians.

He said that enrollees in urban and semi-urban settlements had received extremely poor service from Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs).

This, he said, included both private and public healthcare facilitates.

He added that this was distressing given the harsh reality that Nigerians were faced with the removal of fuel subsidies and other economic policies of the government.

He expressed concern over the attitude of medical personnel and healthcare service providers, who often treated enrollees patients as trash.

He said they were further subjected to unnecessary delay with the aim of frustrating patients from accessing services while the HMOs smile to bank monthly for services poorly rendered.

He said many Nigerians have described the situation as dehumanising and fraudulent.

According to him, some enrollees have recently chosen to pay in full for medical services in establishments other than the HMO they subscribed to, in order to avoid needless stress and harassment.

He said they “characterise the enrollee patients like beggars devoid of human dignity and respect.”

Adopting the motion, the house mandated the Committee on Healthcare Services to investigate the cause of the alleged gross inefficiency of NHIA.

The House urged the committee to recommend ways the scheme could be made to function more efficiently and report back within four weeks for further
legislative action

The House also mandated the Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.