The National Health Insurance Authority has commenced the deployment of Compliance Officers to selected accredited hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory as part of efforts to improve healthcare services and protect enrollees from unlawful charges and denial of treatment.
The agency said the exercise is starting with 18 healthcare facilities in the FCT under a pilot phase that will later be expanded to additional hospitals in the territory and other states.
In a statement released on Thursday, the NHIA explained that the programme is aimed at ensuring that Nigerians covered by the national health insurance scheme receive the services they are entitled to without unnecessary delays or extra costs.
The authority said the officers will monitor compliance with NHIA guidelines, check cases of refusal or delay of approved treatments, prevent unauthorised out-of-pocket payments, ensure that medicines and other medical supplies are available, and respond quickly to complaints from enrollees.
The NHIA also stressed that the officers will not be involved in medical decisions taken by doctors and other health workers. Their role, it said, is to provide oversight, support patients, and ensure that healthcare facilities comply with established standards.
According to the authority, the initiative forms part of broader reforms aimed at improving accountability and advancing the Federal Government’s Universal Health Coverage agenda.
