NHIA to expand health insurance to newborns, partners with neonatal experts

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has announced plans to expand healthcare access for newborns by incorporating neonatal care into its flagship Financing Access to Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care (CEmOC) programme.

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The Director-General of NHIA, Kelechi Ohiri, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during a courtesy visit by members of the Nigerian Society of Neonatal Medicine (NISONM) to his office.

Mr Ohiri said the maternal health component of the programme, launched nearly a year ago, had already delivered life-saving interventions to over 6,000 vulnerable women with obstetric complications nationwide.

He said building on this progress; the scheme is now shifting focus to the often-overlooked neonatal population.
“The transition to newborn care is a natural next step. Newborns deserve access to timely, high-quality care, and we are committed to making that possible without a financial burden on families,” he said.

He said that the new neonatal component would be co-designed with NISONM through a collaborative, data-driven process to address both demand-side and supply-side barriers.

“Beyond financial access, we must ensure that facilities are adequately equipped, staff are well-trained and essential supplies are available. This will require multisectoral collaboration with key institutions,” he said.
“The institutions include the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), and the SWAp Coordination Office.”

The NISONM delegation included renowned neonatologists, Mariya Muhktar-Yola, Iretiola Fajolu, Tongo, and Obum Ezeanosike who expressed strong support for the NHIA’s initiative.

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They pledged technical assistance and data to support the development of scalable, impactful interventions targeted at Nigeria’s most vulnerable population, the newborns.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria remains one of the world’s top contributors to neonatal mortality.

The country’s neonatal mortality rate is approximately 34 deaths per 1,000 live births, more than double the global average.

Most of these deaths occur within the first week of life and are largely preventable. Key contributors include prematurity, birth asphyxia, sepsis, and low access to quality facility-based care.

Despite modest improvements, deep regional disparities persist, with the North-West and North-Central zones experiencing the highest burden.

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Improving neonatal survival is crucial to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3.2, which aims to reduce neonatal mortality to 12 per 1,000 live births by 2030.

Experts say that to meet this goal, interventions must be regionally tailored, community-sensitive, and supported by strong facility readiness, skilled health workers and health financing mechanisms that remove cost barriers.

The meeting signals a significant step towards integrating neonatal care into national health financing and universal health coverage frameworks.

(NAN)