The Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale A. Adedokun, FCIPS, ACFE, hosted the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in his office in Abuja.
The visit is aimed at establishing a working relationship between BPP and NHIA in fostering transparency, good governance, and national development.
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The DG, in his remarks, welcomed and commended the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, and his team for the recent reforms, initiatives, and his pragmatic approach in addressing some healthcare challenges.
Dr. Adedokun stated that both BPP and NHIA play similar roles but in different dimensions in the growth of the nation and urged for effective and efficient healthcare service to the populace. He emphasized that BPP role is to enable government agencies to deliver in their mandate, as he encouraged the NHIA to comply with the Bureau’s procurement directives.
He further called for adequate attention to be given to the healthcare system, and a collective effort be made to provide comfort and enable Nigerians access to better medical services. Adding that inadequate healthcare system and deficiencies in service delivery may endanger the lives of the citizens cause youths’ untimely death and inflation in the economy.
The DG BPP pledged his support to NHIA to achieve its mandate in the area of capacity building, sensitization of the public to revive trust in the healthcare scheme, and enforce full implementation of the reforms.
The Director-General, NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, earlier made known the purpose of their visit which is to share their mandate, address some of the challenges encountered in the healthcare service and, to collectively work together to achieve the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, in the healthcare sector.
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Dr. Ohiri highlighted some of the recent reforms of the NHIA, which include:
• The Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative to improve financial access to healthcare service.
• The actuarial review of tariffs of health providers and the capitation given to hospitals, which has increased by 95%.
• Enforcement has been strengthened through the issuance of Circular to HMO’s for quick response to enrolees and provision of good quality health services, which has, in a way, cushioned the unprecedented inflation.
• The creation of the PR Code to acquaint enrolees of their NHIS benefits and enable them access to proper information of conditions of their benefit package.
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• The enforcement of all Ministries, departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to be enrolled in the NHIS and all practicing procurement entities should provide a valid certificate of their health insurance.
He solicited the agency’s management team and procurement staff to be properly trained and certified and gain foundational knowledge for effective service delivery, as the visit underscored shared commitment to improving transparency and good governance.