Assessing The Utilization Of The National Health Insurance Scheme in North Central Nigeria

Abstract: The aim of health care at the primary level is to provide accessible and sustainable resources to its citizens. Due to financial constraints, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) that was introduced by the... [ view full abstract ]

Abstract: The aim of health care at the primary level is to provide accessible and sustainable resources to its citizens. Due to financial constraints, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) that was introduced by the Nigerian government to help health care accessibility, yet there is poor utilization. Data was obtained using a descriptive multi-stage stratified random sampling from 150 households in North central Nigeria. Results reveal that NHIS is extremely low and unwillingness to take advantage of the scheme was largely due to inadequate financial resources and lack of trust in the effectiveness of the scheme. It is recommended that to improve utilization and cost of care, government should make concerted effort to increase awareness of National Health Insurance scheme and further reduce its cost as so to gain more acceptance among its citizens.