ENROLLEES PERCEPTION OF NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME IN BENIN CITY
SECTION 1
Introduction
The Nigerian government instituted a National Health Policy (NHP) as far back in 1988 with the primary objective of improving the health status of the people to allow Nigerians to have wholesome,
productive, social and economic lives, yet a large proportion of the privileged few who have access to medical facilities cannot afford to pay for health care due to its rapidly escalating cost. Access to health care is severely limited in Nigeria, this may be due to inadequate facilities or inability of the consumer to pay for the services as well as the Health Care Provision that is far from equitability.
As a way out, the military government of General Abdulsalami Abubakar signed into law, Act 35 of 1999 on May 21st establishing the National Health Insurance Scheme as a corporate body charged with the responsibility of improving the health of all Nigerians at an affordable cost. However, the scheme could not take off effectively because of some opposition from the labour unions. It was later
relaunched on June 6th 2005 by former president Olusegun Obasanjo.
