Health
NHIA Harnesses New Act To Regulate Service Providers, HMOs
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has highlighted that the recently enacted National Health Insurance Act has granted the authority enhanced regulatory powers over service providers, including health facilities and Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs).
These measures aim to safeguard the interests of individuals enrolled in the insurance scheme.
Simultaneously, the NHIA is urging the public to embrace the new GIFSHIP policy scheme, which ensures that every Nigerian has access to health insurance.
It is worth noting that President Muhammadu Buhari signed the NHIA Bill into law on May 19, 2022. This Act replaces the previous National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Act and mandates health insurance for all Nigerians.
During the Ikeja Stakeholders Forum held at NECA House in Ikeja, Mr. Olufemi Akingbade, the Lagos Zonal Coordinator of the NHIA, announced that the authority is in the process of developing a digital system that will greatly streamline billing and settlement procedures.
He stated that the introduction of this system aims to ensure a seamless experience by providing easy access to registration, medical records of enrolees, and settlement claims, thereby minimizing the potential for disputes.
Furthermore, Akingbade disclosed that the NHIA is currently transitioning from a semi-manual operation to a digital platform, signifying the authority’s commitment to leveraging technology for enhanced efficiency and service delivery.
“We are developing a system that will actually take it from that beginning of registration, retrieval when you get to the hospital so that there will be no issue of bringing your ID card.
“In each hospital, we will have a terminal that once you give them your NHIA number, it calls up your data. Along the way, whatever you pass through at the hospital will be recorded, which is the Electronic medical record. With it, dealing with medical records will be easy.
“This is because if you have been treated with malaria and we have a code for malaria treatment, there is a price that is fixed for that malaria treatment, such that once they click the code, the price will come out. It is not something that anybody can dispute. When the billing gets to HMO, there will not be any dispute. In terms of claims management; also, the system will take care of everything from registration, electronic medical records and also claims payment”.
During the stakeholders forum, Dr. Bethuel Kasimu Abraham, the Lagos State Coordinator of NHIA’s Ikeja Office, highlighted that the act has empowered the authority to take punitive actions against health facilities and HMOs that engage in any form of misconduct or violation.
He further stated that Previously, the NHIA had limited authority to sanction stakeholders within the scheme.
Health
JUST IN: JOHESU Launches Nationwide Strike Over Unresolved Demands
Members of the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals (JOHESU) have announced a seven-day warning strike set to begin at midnight on Friday.
This action follows a 15-day notice of industrial action issued to the Federal Government.
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Addressing journalists in Abuja, JOHESU’s national chairman, Kabiru Minjibir, outlined the union’s primary demands, emphasizing a need for immediate action to address ongoing concerns affecting healthcare workers across the nation.
Key demands include the urgent implementation of the consolidated health salary structure and the payment of a 25 percent review of arrears from June to December 2023.
The union is also calling for an upward review of the retirement age for healthcare workers, a tax waiver on healthcare workers’ allowances, and the immediate disbursement of COVID-19 inducement hazard allowances.
Minjibir urged all union members nationwide to adhere to the strike directive, underscoring that compliance would be essential in pushing for their demands.
Details shortly………….
Health
Medical Emergency: Journalist, Kola Kuforiji Requires Financial Support
In a world where health is wealth, Kola Kuforiji, a Nigerian journalist who had worked for about two decades with Rhythm FM (Sliverbird Group) reporting business is facing an unthinkable challenge, and needs urgent help.
Kola, a 54-year-old husband and father of two, whose life was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with a drug-resistant, Parkinson’s disease with pronounced difficulty in walking and tremor has been very ill for more than two years and the severity and debilitating nature of his illness has depleted the finances of his family.
He was initially treated at Ikorodu General Hospital, Lagos, where a presumptive diagnosis of his medical condition was made.
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He was over a year ago referred to LASUTH, but there has been little improvement in his health.
Medical treatment abroad now offers the best option for his recovery with a recommendation from Atasehir Medicana International Hospital – Atasehir / Istanbul, Turkey confirming that he will need a Deep Brain Stimulation surgery.
The expected total cost of the Deep Brain Stimulation surgery with traveling expenses is put at $35,000 (USD) about N57 million at recent exchange rate.
Meanwhile friends of Kola have initiated moves to seek financial support from concerned citizens to help bridge the gap and ensure that he receives the care he needs to overcome this challenge.
A bank account to receive fund for the urgent medical intervention has been opened for donation that will bring hope and healing to Kola and his family.
Name of Account: SOS FOR JOURNALIST KOLA KUFORIJI
Account Number: 1790322317
Bank: Polaris Bank
Kola’s story is one of courage, resilience, and determination, but it’s also a story of urgent need.
He had worked for about two decades with Rhythm FM (Sliverbird Group) covering business at large and had contributed immensely to deepening understanding of the economy.
Over the years he has explored his media platform as a strong tool to drive financial inclusion and expanding frontier of knowledge of Nigerians on the activities and stride of the energy, banking and finance sectors at large to national development.
Despite his illness, Kola remains hopeful and determined to overcome.
Use this link to join SOS FOR JOURNALIST KOLA KUFORIJI WhatsApp group https://chat.whatsapp.
Health
Banning Tobacco Sales Could Save 1.2m Lives By 2095 – WHO
A new study from the World Health Organization (WHO) underscores the alarming connection between smoking and lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally.
The research reveals that smoking accounts for approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases and warns that nearly three million lung cancer deaths could occur among those born between 2006 and 2010 if current trends persist.
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The findings, published in The Lancet Public Health, indicate that implementing a ban on tobacco sales for this generation—approximately 650 million individuals—could prevent about 1.2 million deaths by 2095.
This study is among the first to evaluate the potential impact of creating a tobacco-free generation and draws on data from 185 countries.
The research highlights significant disparities in preventable lung cancer deaths based on gender.
It found that over 45% of lung cancer deaths among men could be avoided, while nearly 31% could be prevented among women.
IARC researcher and co-author Isabelle Soerjomataram noted that the disparity is largely due to targeted marketing by the tobacco industry over the past decades.
Interestingly, the study also suggests that in regions like North America and parts of Europe, ending tobacco sales could lead to more preventable deaths among women than men.
In Western Europe, 78% of potential deaths among women could be averted, compared to nearly 75% among men in Central and Eastern Europe.
While the study offers a glimmer of hope, it cautions that not all lung cancer deaths can be prevented through tobacco sales bans alone.
Other risk factors, such as air pollution and second-hand smoke exposure, also significantly contribute to lung cancer rates.
Several countries have already implemented tobacco-free generation initiatives, including New Zealand, which became the first nation to ban cigarette sales to individuals born after 2008.
However, the new conservative government in New Zealand has announced plans to repeal this measure.
Conversely, the UK’s new Labour government is supportive of a similar initiative that restricts cigarette sales to anyone born after January 2009.
Despite the promising implications of tobacco-free generation policies, the authors of the IARC study stress that these measures must be part of a broader strategy to combat the health crisis posed by tobacco.
They advocate for additional approaches, such as increasing cigarette taxes, creating more smoke-free environments, and providing enhanced support for individuals looking to quit smoking.
As lung cancer remains a leading health challenge, this study highlights the urgent need for comprehensive tobacco control policies to protect future generations and reduce the burden of this deadly disease.