The National Health Insurance Authority NHIA, working assiduously to deliver on its mandate, has commissioned its neonatal component of its Comprehensive Emergency Obstetrics and Neonatal Care (CEmONC) Programme in Kano State.
The programme, aimed at expanding health services to vulnerable people, was formally kicked off with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding MOU between the Authority and the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, AKTH, Kano.
The Director General of NHIA, Dr Kelechi Ohiri disclosed that the pilot phase of the Neonatal component was already up and running in four selected facilities in Lagos representing the South West, adding that four hospitals have been identified to administer the pilot scheme in Kano including the AKTH.
Dr. Ohiri, who was represented by the Director of Informal Sector Department of NHIA, Dr Sikiru Salaudeen, said that “over 200 facilities nationwide are implementing the maternal component of the CEmONC Programme while over 14, 000 women have been treated, with about 40% of beneficiaries from Kano.”
Dr Salaudeen stated that the neonatal component builds on the lessons learnt and successes of the maternal component of the programme. The scope of coverage includes but is not limited to birth asphyxia, neonatal sepsis, neonatal jaundice, and acute surgical emergencies.
For the purpose of accountability, Dr Salaudeen said that independent external verifiers have been engaged to provide oversight of the initiative.
Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman Medical Advisory Committee, Prof Abdurahman Suwaid who represented the Chief Medical Director while commending the initiative, noted that 972 women have so far been treated in the facility under the programme, adding that the facility is the largest holder of NHIA beneficiaries in the country.
Under the watch of the Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, NHIA, signed the MOU with three other Kano State-owned facilities, namely, Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital Kano, Mohammed Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital Kano, and Khalifah Shiek Isiyaka Rabiu Paediatric Hospital Kano.
This is contained in a statement issued and signed by Emmanuel Ononokpono, Acting Director, Media and Public Relations of the NHIA.