High interest expressed in PharmAccess and partners.

A meeting with Dr. Dogo Mohammed, the Executive Director of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), was held in Abuja on the 17th of February, 2012. Kwasi Boahene, Anton Pruijssers and Nnenna Oduwusi representing HIF and PAI had an extensive meeting with the Executive Director. The meeting was held to provide an overview of the HIF/PAI schemes in Nigeria and to explore collaboration opportunities with the NHIS.

The meeting also involved other key officials within the scheme. Dr. Dogo Mohammed was quite knowledgeable about the Hygeia community schemes in Kwara and has showed his interest in PAI in a previous stage. PAI has been invited to document its interests and focus areas and to formally express its interest in working with and supporting NHIS. Following this, there will be follow-up discussions and work planning to identify possible areas for collaboration and partnership.

For many Nigerians in the rural communities it is impossible to have access to health services because of the high costs that come along. People who are able to pay do so from the lean resources in their pockets. NHIS is currently piloting a Community-Based Health Insurance Scheme program in all states of the country. The program targets three pilot sites per state amounting to a total of 111 schemes over a three year period. NHIS is interested in support for this program in various aspects including technical assistance and the integration of SafeCare standards.