Success Story: Cross River State's Health Insurance Scheme

The bill, also known as "Ayadecare," was signed into law by Governor Professor Ben Ayade on September 6, 2016, and establishes a provision for an equity fund of one percent of the state's revenue to support vulnerable populations. The fund will be used to provide health insurance coverage for all residents of the state. The SHIS Bill is a key component of the state's vision to become a leading Nigerian state with prosperous and healthy citizens. The bill is designed to address the current lack of health insurance coverage in the state, with less than five percent of the population currently covered by health insurance. The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has been criticized for its limited coverage, with most of those covered being public sector employees and small community-based programs. The passage of the SHIS Bill is a result of a five-day training workshop organized by the USAID Health Finance and Governance (HFG) project, which aimed to build the capacity of state actors from five states to undertake policy, institutional, and legal reforms required to decentralize the NHIS. The workshop facilitated dialogue between state and national agencies, leading to further meetings and discussions. The HFG project has played a crucial role in guiding the implementation of the SHIS Bill, including the constitution of an implementation team and the Ministry of Health's implementation unit. The project provided technical assistance to the House Committee on Health in making the case for SHIS and responding to questions and concerns at a public hearing. HFG also supported the drafting of the bill to ensure key policies related to equity, access, and efficiency were included. The SHIS Bill is expected to improve health outcomes and improve access to healthcare services for residents of Cross River State. The bill will provide a framework for the implementation of a health insurance scheme that meets the needs of the state's population. The project will continue to provide technical assistance to the state government to ensure the successful implementation of the SHIS Bill. The passage of the SHIS Bill is a significant step towards achieving UHC in Nigeria. The state's commitment to providing health insurance coverage for all residents is a major milestone in the country's efforts to improve healthcare outcomes. The success of the SHIS Bill will serve as a model for other states in Nigeria to follow, and will contribute to the country's goal of achieving universal health coverage.