Managing Director of Ultimate Health, Dr. Lekan Ewenla, has called for the implementation of mandatory health insurance for students in all tertiary institutions across Nigeria.

Speaking at the company’s 14th Annual General Meeting in Abuja, Ewenla said enforcing compulsory health insurance for students would significantly improve access to healthcare nationwide.

He stated that Ultimate Health is ready to spearhead the initiative, describing it as critical to the nation’s well-being. According to him, discussions are already ongoing with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to drive the proposal forward.

Ewenla noted that the move is inspired by the enactment of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act of 2022, which provides the legal framework for universal health coverage in Nigeria.

He therefore urged the NHIA to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Education and regulatory bodies such as the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) to ensure all students in tertiary institutions are enrolled in health insurance schemes.

“There are over 20 million youths in tertiary institutions. If we get just a fraction enrolled, the risk pool will be strengthened,” he stated, adding that the current ₦2,000 annual premium under the tertiary scheme is insufficient and should be reviewed.

Ewenla also announced plans by his Health Management Organisation to introduce a pre-booking system to its enrollees so as to cut down waiting time at the hospitals.

Ewenla said his organisation will be deploying real-time technology in line with global healthcare best practices.

He said that through a digital scheduling platform, enrollees can notify their HMO and hospitals in advance of their visits, ensuring faster and more efficient service delivery.

“We’ve reduced the average waiting time to 10 minutes and aim to get it down to five minutes. It’s all about dignity in care,” he said.

On the issue of NHI patients given prescriptions to procure drugs outside, Dr. Ewenla said it is against the National Health Insurance Act for an enrollee to procure drugs outside the healthcare facility.

He said the health facilities are expected to procure drugs and dispense to enrollees.

He said 65% of the capitation paid to health facilities is meant to procure drugs and be warehoused for enrollees.

He said, “On the health insurance programme, I want to say it loud and clear. There is no room for drugs to be procured by our enrollees outside the facility. I’m repeating it. There is no room for that to be done.

“On the federal government scheme that we all know, there are two identified risk managers.

“The primary provider is the risk manager at the primary level. And I know you must have been hearing about this capitulation. That capitation is 65% of the paid premium being paid in advance to the primary risk manager to manage the risk at the primary level.”

He explained that the facility “first of all” is to procure the required medications that are listed on the NHI drug list for warehousing to give to the few that will show within the month to access care. So they are meant to be given their prescribed medications.

“There is no room for prescriptions to be given to anyone to go and buy their medication.”