The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has approved the branding of drugs for enrollees to checkmate the issue of inadequacy of drugs for enrollees in NHIA approves health facilities.Mrs Mary Aliu, the coordinator of the authority in Nasarawa State made this known on the sidelines of a one-day stakeholders forum held in Keffi Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.
Aliu said that NHIA had to step in to address complaints by enrollees that “they are always told drugs are out of stock whenever they visit NHIA approves health facilities by approving branding of drugs specifically for enrollees.
“We have made provisions with pharmaceutical companies to start producing drugs that will be labelled NHIA.
“It will go a long way to stop this complaint by enrollees that whenever they go to health facilities for health care services, they are told that there are no drugs.
“It will also assist the enrollees not to be forced to pay out of pocket for drugs they are not supposed to pay for.
“That is one thing we don’t want. So, when this new drug supply initiative comes on board, we will have enough drug supply for enrollees”.
She said implementation of the initiative would soon begin and urged enrollees to be patient while NHIA would work to roll out the branding of drugs initiative as soon as possible.
Aliu lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for signing into the law the new NHIA Act 2022.
Chief Danladi Jibrin, a participant and Chief Medical Director of Mak-Lin Clinic, described the stakeholder’s forum as timely.
Also speaking, Miss Joy Joseph, another participant from Ashmed Integrated Health Services, described the forum as educative.
