Nigeria: Health insurance coverage under 5 pct

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) - Less than 5% of Nigeria’s 180 million people has health insurance coverage or risk protection mechanism, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said on Tuesday.

The figure recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) for the universal health coverage is 90%, Buhari said, who spoke at the opening of a health center in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

The president also said that out of pocket payment for healthcare accounts for 70% of total health expenditure in the country, while the global recommended average is 30-40%, a trend he blames on the lack of proper health insurance coverage in the country.

Buhari said that his administration's vision was to revitalize 10,000 Primary Health Care Facilities in Nigeria.