Vulnerable Groups Social Health Insurance Program in Nigeria
Despite large investments in expanding coverage of health in Nigeria, barriers still exist that prevent adequate utilization of these services by the poor. Consequently, direct interventions are required to reach the socially and economically excluded. Ensuring a healthy population is one of the social welfare responsibilities of government particularly the provision of welfare support for these identified vulnerable sub-population groups. Therefore, strengthening social protection systems through policies targeted towards designing of appropriate social protection instruments, that are most suitable for reducing disparities in accessing health services is increasingly becoming a priority area of work for governments at all levels.
With the realization that urgent and explicit changes are required to organize, integrate, and improve the delivery system, Federal government held a Presidential summit on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) committed all levels of government to place a high priority on establishing mandatory health insurance in Nigeria with special funds to expand financial risk protection mechanisms for the poor and vulnerable groups. Hence the need for this study to generate evidence for NHIS and other stakeholders to develop financial protection strategies to target these disadvantaged population sub-groups against catastrophic medical spending.
But who are the vulnerable? >>>Click here to download VGSHIP Executive Summary<<<