Assessment Of Funding in the Implementation of National Health Insurance Scheme in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is an initiative of the federal government of Nigeria targeted at easing the financial burden of healthcare on the general public while enabling access to quality healthcare services. However, progress checks in implementation suggest that there is a considerable gap between policy objectives and outcomes. In light of this observation, the paper examines the extent to which funding affects the implementation of NHIS in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The study, which is survey research, was anchored on Grossman’s health production function theory and employed the instrument of questionnaire to elicit data from Health workers in nine health institutions spread across four Area Councils in Abuja, namely, AMAC, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali and NHIS staff. The data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The study observed that the paucity of funds affects the effective implementation of NHIS in FCT to a high extent. It concludes that the problem of paucity of funds is a hindrance to the effective implementation of NHIS in the FCT. The paper recommends that the community and voluntary sectors of NHIS should be aggressively implemented; that government budgetary allocation to the health sector should be upwardly reviewed and sustained; and finally, that the HMOs should be closely monitored to ensure that capitations to accredited NHIS health facilities are remitted as at when due.