The National Health Insurance Scheme - NHIS has been involved in many shenanigans in recent times. There has been several stories surrounding its operations, particularly its Executive Secretary, Prof. Yusuf. Yusuf has been labeled in several quarters as corruption-personified. Trust Nigerians for their usual tirades. Prof. Yusuf was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari. And since the latter does no good before the mischiefmakers, everyone around him must be brought down.
THE NHIS
NHIS started operations in the year 2005. By 2018, the Agency will be 13 years. The NHIS covers 3 million Nigerians. It is meant to see to the wellness of Nigerians, but because of the endemic corruption that's characteristic of the Nigeria civil and public service, the agency has not performed to optimal level. The political class, in its idiosyncratic manner has turned the Agency into money-spinning machine. Like #DasukiGate, it is another ATM for the politicians.
HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS- HMOs
There are Health Maintenance Organizations - HMOs which serve as middlemen before the Agency (NHIS) and hospitals that provide health services to the millions of Nigerians. These HMOs are all private companies owned by politicians and their cronies. They are the real problem of NHIS. They network their corrupt practices and operate as a cartel.
The HMOs receive money from NHIS on behalf of the beneficiaries to pay hospitals so that Nigerians on the NHIS scheme can enjoy medical services. But sadly and lugubriously, these HMOs refuse to pay the hospitals and would always divert the monies. NHIS releases fund to HMOs 3 months in advance to pay hospitals which render health services to Nigerians on the scheme, but they were not paying promptly, or sometimes not paying at all. What do the HMOs do with the NHIS money?
• They fix it in banks to accrue interest.
• They buy FOREX and trade with it.
• They take loans from banks using the fund as collateral. When banks know you are getting massive funds from NHIS, they give you 5 times the amount in your account, sometimes 10 times. Trust Nigerian banks of course.
Now, instead of the HMOs to pay the hospitals as agreed on time, they are heavily indebted to most hospitals nationwide. They cripple healthcare service delivery nationwide. The Abuja National Hospital alone is owed N400m.
It’s a major cartel.
Nigeria has 57 HMOs. These guys are the cartel at NHIS. They work hand in hand with every Minister of Health, Board members, the Executive Secretary (EX) and politicians in government to run the place aground.
THE PROF. YUSUF STORY
When Prof. Yusuf was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, he refused to play along. Hence, the 'war' (from all fronts began). Yusuf came and found out that there was massive corruption going on at the NHIS and determined to stop it but the cartel “HMOs” declared war on him. The HMO felt there was no stopping their 'enjoyment'. They connived with the willing politicians even in Buhari's government to undermine the system.
The HMOs got the support of the Board Chairman of NHIS and other members of the Board who are all politicians. They got the support of the Minister of Health and other politicians. The question is what was Yusuf's crime? He simply would not want the old system to continue. Yusuf's 'problem' with the cartel inter alia include;
• They were not paying hospitals as per the Agency mandate.
• Many of the HMOs licenses had expired since 2013. He asked them to renew before they could get disbursements of more funds etc.
One of the conditions the Executive Secretary gave was that every HMO must go to the hospitals to get a letter of non-indebtedness signed by the Chief Medical Director- CMD of such hospital before they would get funds from the Agency. The hospitals management were happy with the new development but HMOs were unhappy. Why would they? Their access to 'free' monies was threatened.
THE NHIS SOLUTION
The NHIS is so strategically important to the health of many Nigerians. In a sane clime, every citizen should is expected to be captured in the scheme. NHIS pays Federal, State and even private hospitals through HMOs. Nigerians on the scheme are the main beneficiaries. Many workers are on the scheme. NHIS also pays military and police hospitals nationwide. The police alone have over 800,000 officers and their dependents on the scheme.
The ministry of health alongside our politicians are the major problem of NHIS in the country. They use NHIS as conduit pipe to siphon monies from the Agency. Prof. Yusuf stopped them. He was suspended on allegations of corruption which many of us believed because of media trial. The EFCC then investigated him but found nothing. After his reinstatement, Prof. Yusuf became tougher on the HMOs as well as the Board and the Minister began to plot his ouster yet again.
Prof. Yusuf was suspended last week again on the eve of delisting many unqualified HMOs. It was a pre-emptive move by the perpetrators which include NHIS Board, the minister. Surprisingly, the Agency union is on the payroll of the HMOs. The HMOs are the real cartel at NHIS and are very angry the Executive Secretary instituted a forensic audit of NHIS finances. Audit discovered that N46billion of NHIS money were stashed in different banks. Nigerians monies fa! The HMOs in turn accused the Executive Secretary of using the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Central Bank, the Attorney- General, the EFCC as well as Asset Recovery to fight them.
Nigeria's national and State hospitals are under-funded and many of them survive on the NHIS money. For instance, FMC Asaba got only about N18million from the budget in 2017 and they required over N10million to power the hospital with diesel. If N10m is expended on diesel alone, how will such hospital survive without the NHIS fund?
In essence, what the HMOs do is take money from NHIS and refuse to give the hospitals. They destroy our health sector. When you see civil servants protest against the man, know that it is simply because their interest is equally at stake. Their leaders unknown to the gullible followers are critical 'stakeholder' in the conspiracy. When next you see Nigerians condemn everything and anything about Buhari, ask them to produce what they know about the particular issue.
On this one, if you have a superior argument that's evident-backed, come up with same and let's slug it out.
This one too, Nigeria shall survive it! Nigeria is safe with Sai Buhari.
ÒGBÉNI CZAR™
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