Medicines Research and Access Platform (MedRAP) has expressed concern over the move by some health facilities to terminate the National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) contracts.
Some private health facilities are withdrawing or suspending services under the NHIMA, citing unsustainable settlement of claims for services provided to patients supported under the insurance scheme.
MedRAP Secretary General David Banda said the pulling out of service providers is a sign of NHIMA’s gradual death.
Mr. Banda noted that this defeats the Government’s intentions of providing affordable and quality healthcare services to the general citizenry without leaving anyone behind.
He said as Zambia strives to attain Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by the year 2030, there is need for dialogue among all stakeholders to resolve the pending issues for the benefit of all citizens.
“We call for wider stakeholder engagements to plan for forward implementation. Further, Community sensitizations on prudent utilization of NHIMA by contributors should be intensified and expanded,” Mr. Banda stated.
Mr. Banda further applauded the Government on resuscitation plans of NHIMA so that the institution can fulfil its mandate of remitting funds to providers on time.
“We also suggest that NHIMA develop treatment protocols to guide the providers’ and reduce the abuse of the system in providing unnecessary investigations and treatments,” he added.
He stressed that MedRAP is cognizant of the fact that NHIMA was abused by both contributors and service provider.
“Therefore, we are of the view that for the institution to operate viably, the gaps in service provision and contributions as well, should be addressed urgently,” Mr. Banda stressed.
“Let NHIMA operate for purpose it was created to achieve Universal Health Coverage,” he said. “It is our hope as MedRAP that no Zambian should be left behind interms of health coverage.”
