The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), on Thursday held a Stakeholders’ Sensitisation Forum for Healthcare Providers and Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) on Updates and Recent Changes in NHIA in Enugu.
The event, organised by the Enugu Office of NHIA, brought together healthcare providers, HMOs, government officials, and enrollees to review progress and deepen understanding of ongoing reforms in the health insurance sector.
Speaking at the forum, the Acting Zonal Coordinator of NHIA, Southeast, Mrs. Aniebo Chinyere Nwakego, said the meeting was necessary to update stakeholders on recent developments.
“For two years, we have not communicated what we have been working on to our stakeholders. This is an opportunity to inform everyone about what we are doing, share the new regulations, and chart the way forward,” she explained.
Mrs. Nwakego noted that enrolments were steadily increasing across the Southeast, particularly as some states had begun formal sector registration. “Enugu will soon flag off its enrolment, so the process is ongoing,” she added.
She emphasised that the agency had taken steps to improve payments to hospitals and HMOs after concerns about low tariffs. “We have improved payments to our hospitals and HMOs. Having done that, we now expect results, which must come through the quality of care given to our patients,” she stated.
The Enugu State Coordinator of NHIA, Dr. Ken Chukwuemeka Ogbu, said the forum was an opportunity to evaluate past performance and chart a better course. “I expect participants to be impressed with the changes in the health insurance ecosystem. We also want to assess our performance over the years, identify areas for improvement, and ensure better service delivery in the state,” he said.
Dr. Ogbu disclosed that while only the NHIA scheme was currently operational in Enugu, the state’s health insurance agency would soon commence its formal sector programme. “My goal is to take health insurance in the state to unprecedented levels,” he added.
The Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Agency for Universal Health Coverage, Dr. Edith Okolo, confirmed that Governor Peter Mbah would soon launch the formal sector programme. According to her, “His Excellency, Governor Peter Mbah, will declare his commitment to ensuring that civil servants in Enugu State benefit from health insurance, protecting them from the financial risks of healthcare.”
She explained that enrollees would have access to the Basic Minimum Package of Health Services, which includes hospital admissions, surgeries, laboratory tests, and prescribed drugs. While the formal sector programme was about to commence, Dr. Okolo noted that informal sector enrolments were already ongoing, with individuals and sponsors paying for beneficiaries.
On the side of healthcare providers, Dr. Okechukwu Okonkwo, Medical Director of Royal Hospital, described the engagement as “very informative.” He said, “NHIA has undergone a massive transformation, with many new initiatives and programmes. They have reviewed several policies, which is a welcome development for healthcare providers. We look forward to the full implementation.”
From the perspective of HMOs, Mr. Agbo Edgar of Venus Medicare identified sensitisation as a key challenge. “Many enrollees don’t fully understand how the programme works. That’s why engagements like this are important — to sensitise them on how to access care from start to finish,” he said.
Beneficiaries also shared their experiences. Mr. Chidi Unobuagha of the National Orientation Agency, Enugu, described the programme as largely successful. “It has been wonderful. The doctors are good, consultation and tests are free, and the services are satisfactory,” he said. However, he pointed out concerns about drug quality, saying, “The only challenge is with the drugs, as some are generic and seem substandard.”
He nevertheless praised the NHIA for its responsiveness. “Desk officers are also very helpful — one even helped resolve a problem very quickly. Overall, the programme is working well, and I would recommend it to others,” he added.
The forum ended with a renewed commitment from NHIA, HMOs, healthcare providers, and state authorities to strengthen collaboration and ensure better healthcare delivery across Enugu State.
