Stakeholders’ Perception of the Impacts of Health Insurance Diffusion on Healthcare Delivery in Southeast Nigeria

Abstract

Poor and inequitable access to quality healthcare is a major public health setback that has persisted in various countries. The reality is that every part of the world perceives this differently because some still experience hunger and diseases in more significant ways. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) report, the impact of Universal Health Coverage Schemes like the National Health Insurance Scheme is particularly low in Nigeria. This article examines Stakeholders’ perceptions as regards health insurance distribution in southeast Nigeria. Following the NHIS establishment, the promise and guarantee of access to quality and affordable healthcare brought a green light to the already faded hope in healthcare delivery in southeast Nigeria. Primary data sourced through FGDs and IEIs were used in carrying out the study. Precisely, the interview conducted on the relevant stakeholders identified factors influencing the NHIS in southeast Nigeria as lack of collaboration and sincerity among the relevant stakeholders. Results show that sustainable health insurance can be realized through the eradication of institutional, operational, and structural bottlenecks. Keywords: Quality healthcare, Health Insurance Scheme, stakeholders’ perception, diffusion FGDs, IEIs DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/12-2-05 Publication date: April 30 th 2022