From Our Correspondent
Lagos, May 4, ’25 (TNZ) The Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF) has reaffirmed its commitment to championing maternal health equity in the country.
TheNewsZenith reports that the affirmation followed a successful hosting of the seventh edition of NSSF’s ‘Fireside Chat Series’ recently in Abuja.
The theme of the event is “Breaking Barriers to Maternal Health Equity: The Role of Health Insurance in Promoting Women’s Wellness”.
The event brought together key stakeholders from across government, development partners, donor agencies, and the healthcare sector.
It is set to discuss sustainable, inclusive health solutions for Nigerian women, especially those in underserved and low-income communities.
Speaking after the event, Dr Fejiro Chinye-Nwoko, CEO of NSSF, emphasised the driving force behind the Fireside Chat.
“Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate remains unacceptably high, with over 1,000 deaths per 100,000 live births.
“This cannot continue. We are here to ask the hard question. How can we ensure that when a woman needs care, she can access it without money or delay?
“That’s what health insurance is meant to do, and it must be inclusive and accessible,” TheNewsZenith quotes Chinye-Nwoko as saying.
She noted that from its field work, NSSF noticed that women are uninformed, unregistered, unempowered, and underserved.
“Awareness is low. Access is difficult. But we have the tools, the data, and the partnerships to change that.
“’What we need now is policy implementation and financial commitment that match the urgency of this crisis,” the NSSF leader further said.
An urgent conversation emerging from the event was the question: “Who pays for the health of the poor?”
This sparked robust dialogue around the need for sustainable financing models that ensure maternal care is not a burden for vulnerable women.
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There was a consensus that without strong financial support systems, including government-subsidised health coverage, millions of women would continue to fall through the cracks.
TheNewsZenith reports that another key theme was the importance of prevention as a cost-saving strategy.
Panellists agreed that scaling up preventive care, such as screenings, mental health support, and access to contraception, would reduce maternal deaths and lower long-term healthcare costs.
NSSF also shared insights from its grassroots work, including field experiences in Ekiti State and its WeNaija Impact Cohort programme.
The programmes revealed the real-world barriers women face. These include misinformation, lack of trust, affordability concerns, and difficulties navigating the enrollment process.
This rich dialogue shows how committed NSSF is to transforming conversation into action.
The organisation said it would develop a set of targeted policy briefs. The briefs will capture the key insights and share them on the Fireside Chat.
As part of its next steps, NSSF is adapting some of these learnings into its internal programmes, particularly through the WeNaija Impact Cohort.
The Cohort is where community advocates are integrating innovative solutions such as insurance education, wellness voucher models, and localised engagement.
These strategies were designed to improve maternal health access at the grassroots level.
Other experts who spoke include Dr Mojisola Odeku, Senior Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Odeku spoke on leveraging donor support to improve access to women’s health services.
Prof. Chima Onoka, representing the Director General/CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), highlighted the Authority’s work in expanding insurance coverage and digitising registration processes.
Also, Dr Binyerem Ukaire, Director and Head, Family Health Department, Federal Ministry of Health, discussed national interventions on free emergency cesarean sections (C-sections) and treatment for Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF) in 20 states. (TNZ)
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