Abuja: Civil society organisations (CSOs) have urged the expansion of health insurance coverage to vulnerable Nigerians, particularly the poor and unemployed, as a strategy to enhance the fight against Tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS, and malaria. They made this appeal during a media meeting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) focused on the Global Fund GC7 Integrated Community-Led Monitoring (I-CLM) Project for these diseases.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the project is being implemented by ATM Networks in partnership with the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria to address deficiencies in health systems and infrastructure for sustainable health outcomes. Mr. Nathaniel Salifu-King, FCT State Chair of the TB Network, highlighted that poverty, restricted access to healthcare, and high out-of-pocket medical expenses are significant obstacles to prevention and treatment. He noted that Nigeria bears a substantial global burden of TB, HIV, and malaria, with socioeconomic inequalities exacerbating infections and adverse outcomes.
Salifu-King advocated for the extension of the National and State Health Insurance programmes, currently benefiting formal sector workers, to vulnerable populations. He emphasized that the poor, often less educated and unemployed, cannot afford the high costs of accessing healthcare services. Furthermore, he called on philanthropists, community stakeholders, and all levels of government to support the Integrated Community-Led Monitoring mechanism to enhance healthcare delivery and accountability.
Salifu-King also urged the Federal Government to address TB commodity and drug stock-outs by releasing funds for procurement and distribution, warning of the risks of TB infection and multidrug-resistant TB if these issues are not resolved. He underscored the necessity for transparency in primary healthcare financing, increased health education, and stronger community involvement in disease control.
Highlighting the successes of the I-CLM project, Salifu-King mentioned donations of medical supplies and infrastructure support to Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the FCT, as well as the initiation of TB services at Sabon Gari PHC, improved confidentiality at Ushafa PHC, and increased uptake of TB, HIV, and malaria services.
Mr. Samuel Simon, State Programme Officer of the TB Network, highlighted the importance of advocacy and community engagement amid decreasing international funding, stressing the need to hold the government accountable. Ms. Goodness Madueke, Assistant Advocacy Officer of the FCT Malaria Elimination Programme, noted a decline in malaria prevalence in the FCT due to collaborative efforts but expressed concern about the high percentage of Nigerians still paying out-of-pocket for healthcare, pushing many into poverty.
Mrs. Evelyn Eze from the FCT Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme acknowledged the improvements in TB case finding and response due to the I-CLM initiative but stressed the need for additional support to expand coverage. The meeting concluded with a call for stronger health systems, increased domestic financing, sustained community engagement, and renewed political commitment to combat TB, HIV, malaria, and gender-based violence in Nigeria.