The role of National Health Insurance Scheme on structural development of health facilities in Zaria, Kaduna State, North Western Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Nigeria was introduced in 2005 to ensure universal access to good health care services, by protecting families from financial barriers to health care, and ensuring availability of funds to the health sector for improved services. Since introduction of the scheme, however, there has been no documented study carried out to assess whether there has been any improvement in human resource available for provision of health services and for other basic infrastructure in the participating facilities. Aim: This study was undertaken to assess and compare the funding patterns, and infrastructural and manpower development in health facilities in Zaria, Kaduna State, following the introduction of the NHIS. Materials and Methods: This study was comparative cross-sectional in design. Using stratified sampling technique one public and two private health facilities were selected from 16 secondary health facilities (5 public, 11 private) accredited by the NHIS. Retrospective analysis of data collected from their records on the pattern of funding, the levels of hospital infrastructure, and manpower in the facilities was carried out before and after the introduction of the NHIS. Results: The study demonstrated an almost three-fold increase in financial resources availability to the health facilities following enrolment into the NHIS, with the private facilities having a higher increase (300%) than the publicly owned facility (261%). Funds from the scheme, now constituting up to 36% of the total revenue, accounted for almost half (47%) of the increase. The facilities also witnessed improvement in physical infrastructure, staff strength, and diagnostic capability with variable statistical significance. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that the relationship between financial resource availability and facilities' staffing, laboratory diagnostic capability, and physical infrastructure is not always linear.