Health
NEWMAP Seeks Additional Financing to Tackle Erosion
By Dipo Olowookere
A joint World Bank/FAO Appraisal Mission to the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Project (NEWMAP) for Additional Financing (AF) is currently ongoing in Abuja. The mission is to ascertain readiness for implementation, agree on a clear implementation timeline and prepare for negotiations.
The 19 NEWMAP participating states and their Commissioners of states Ministries of Environment, States Newmap Project Coordinators and their key personnel are currently in Abuja working with the Supervising Ministry of Environment and Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU) on the modalities and specific project activity plans for the additional financing.
The multi-sectoral and multi-scale program having the project Development Objective (PDO) to reduce vulnerability to soil erosion in targeted sub-watersheds came into effectiveness in September 2013 with an initial 7 south- eastern states of Abia, Anambra, Cross River, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu and Imo (now referred to as first mover states), with acute gully Erosion and took in 21 active gully sites across this first mover states for remediation.
The progress recorded by these initial seven states, led to the attraction of other states and in September 2015, additional 7 states; Delta, Gombe, Kogi, Kano, Plateau, Oyo and Sokoto joined the project having met the necessary selection criteria. Presently, the third phase of states includes; Akwa Ibom, Borno, Katsina, Nasarawa, and Niger, States; thus making a total number of 19 states in the project.
Five years thereafter, these 21 sites is about 85 percent completion and about 682 ha targeted land treated for erosion with selected measures in targeted sub-watershed have been recovered. New sites have been prioritized and ranked based on risk to human life, catchment area, ease of maintenance, current structural defects, and proximity to vital infrastructure (major road, water, gas, electricity, etc.).
Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Jibril Federal Minister of state Environment could agree less that, “the Project is doing very well.” It’s a flagship project with significant impact across the country,” he said.
For a Project designed not to exceed 11 states in its lifetime now having 19 states and still under pressure by other states, the project must be doing something right, agreed Salisu Dahiru the National Project Coordinator.
In few years of NEWMAP, “14 sub-catchment management plans have been developed in Abia, Anambra and Cross-River States. Approximately 582 hectares (ha) have been rehabilitated in the seven initial project States.
“Also, one of the newer states (Kano) has already re-vegetated about 100 ha of degraded land. While under Income Generating Activities (IGA), grants have been disbursed to 5,137 members of communities. Beneficiaries are now engaged in businesses such as livestock farming, honey production, trading (small shops), horticulture, etc.
“Also, about 2,035 Project Affected Persons (PAPs) have been compensated (58 percent female) and with nearly half of the approved funding for sub-grants now disbursed.”
Truly the project has achieved great milestones as acknowledged by Ambassador Fidel Ayogu, Arc. Michael Okonkwo and Chief Donatus Njoku participating states commissioners Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi respectively. They all believed that this category “A” project has achieved tremendous evidence based results mostly across the first seven states.
Speaking on this appraisal mission Dr. Amos Abu, the Task Team Leader of NEWMAP enjoined participants to look at the cost and agree on what is realistic and obtainable. He commended the team for preparing NEWMAP Additional Financing and stressed that NEWMAP is a flagship project and has achieved great milestones!
NEWMAP is predicated on an 8-year Strategic Investment Loan (SIL) of $508.59M, consisting of a $500M International Development Association (IDA) concessional loan, blended with Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund, and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) grants totalling $8,59M. The Government of Nigeria’s contribution would amount to approximately $150M (the Federal Government 60% and participating states 40%).
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says the number of Nigerians enrolled in health insurance has risen to more than 22 million.
The Director-General of NHIA, Mr Kelechi Ohiri, said this resulted from the implementation of the mandatory health insurance, which has gained momentum nationwide.
He said this on Wednesday at the Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE) in Lagos.
Mr Ohiri said enrolment had increased to 22.03 million, representing a 35 per cent year-on-year growth, attributing this to stronger collaboration with state social health insurance agencies, ministries, departments and agencies, organised labour, employers, the private sector, and the gradual implementation of the mandatory health insurance provisions of the NHIA Act.
He said that the country had moved beyond policy formulation to delivering measurable improvements in healthcare access, service quality and consumer protection in line with the federal government’s health sector reform agenda.
According to him, Nigeria already has the necessary policies and legislation to achieve Universal Health Coverage, positing that the key challenge was effective implementation.
“The decisive variable is now implementation- consistent, rigorous and accountable execution that converts political commitment into healthcare access for real Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Ohiri said that the transition from the former National Health Insurance Scheme to the NHIA had strengthened regulation, consumer protection, accountability and strategic purchasing, while providing the legal and operational framework for achieving Universal Health Coverage.
He added that improving the experience of enrollees remained central to the Authority’s reform agenda.
According to him, NHIA has strengthened its complaints management system, introduced faster resolution timelines, and intensified compliance monitoring of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) and healthcare providers.
He further added that NHIA had sanctioned facilities that failed to meet the required standards, adding that his organisation had resolved 3,878 complaints, representing an 87 per cent resolution rate, while 95 per cent of the cases were concluded within prescribed timelines.
Mr Ohiri noted that more than N14.2 million had been refunded to enrollees, while non-compliant healthcare facilities had been sanctioned.
He said NHIA had also introduced service standards, including a one-hour treatment commencement target for enrollees requiring urgent care, to improve access to timely and quality healthcare services.
The NHIA boss further disclosed that capitation payments to healthcare providers had been increased by 93 per cent.
He said fee-for-service reimbursements rose by 378 per cent to enable providers to invest more in personnel, equipment and infrastructure.
According to him, 7,592 healthcare facilities have been assessed under the SafeCare quality framework as part of efforts to institutionalise continuous quality improvement across the country.
Mr Ohiri also highlighted interventions targeted at vulnerable groups, including support for more than 48,500 pregnant women, expanded maternal and newborn healthcare services, the Vulnerable Group Fund, and improved access to healthcare for pensioners and retirees.
He said Universal Health Coverage could only be achieved if every Nigerian, regardless of income or location, had access to quality healthcare services.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The new one-hour authorisation response time ultimatum policy introduced by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has received the full backing of SUNU Health Nigeria Limited.
This policy was introduced by the agency to ensure enrollees get prompt approval codes to access care.
Healthcare service providers have been urged to report any Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) that violates this initiative through an email, with the HMO in copy and a timestamp attached as evidence of the request. They may proceed to offer services to enrollees thereafter.
Speaking at the company’s second-quarter Providers’ Forum for the Lagos-Ogun region in Lagos recently, the chief executive of SUNU Health, Dr Moyosore Olomola, expressed optimism that this policy would improve healthcare delivery in the country, especially for enrollees, who crave quality service.
At the event themed Improving Quality and Access to Care Through Stronger Provider Network, and held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Yaba, Lagos, Mr Olomola reaffirmed the HMO’s commitment to operating within legal and operational frameworks to guarantee adequate care for enrollees.
“Access to care and quality of care remain key priorities in our healthcare systems. We know quite well that deliberate collaboration, strategic partnerships, and a shared commitment to excellence are required to achieve these priorities.
“A strong provider network is doubtless the backbone of any effective healthcare system. It ensures that our mutual enrollees receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place, and at the right price,” Mr Olomola, represented at the programme by the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Dr Faith Nwachi, stated.
He further assured that SUNU Health would strictly adhere to the one-hour authorisation limit, stressing that this aligns seamlessly with one of the organisation’s core values—promptness and its corporate slogan, Humanity is the centre of our initiatives.
In a bid to further improve access and quality of care, SUNU Health also demonstrated its new operational software and Mobile app, aptly named SUNU Legacy.
Also speaking at the event, the NHIA Lagos State Coordinator (Ikeja), Dr Bethuel-Kasimu Abraham, noted that the forum’s expected outcome is to significantly reduce delays in accessing medical care.
Other key expectations include ensuring continuity of care, improving patient outcomes, and strengthening accountability among HMOs.
Addressing specific pain points faced by enrollees, the NHIA Ogun State Coordinator, Mr Dare Adefeso, acknowledged that the agency had received complaints regarding out-of-stock drugs and the discrimination of enrollees by certain providers.
He affirmed that the NHIA is actively addressing these issues, stressing that moving forward, every facility must ensure enrollees are properly catered to regardless of their status, provided they have an active health insurance plan.
Corroborating the long-standing legacy of SUNU Health, the Ogun State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs Aishat Tiamiyu, shared that her agency is responsible for public information dissemination and has been enrolled with SUNU Health for over 25 years.
Commending the HMO’s stellar service over two decades, she called for the immediate enrollment of new NOA staff into the scheme.
The Providers’ Forum remains one of the strategic channels employed by SUNU Health to consistently engage healthcare providers, understand their operational challenges, introduce new software updates, and solidify partnerships aimed at fostering premium healthcare delivery across Nigeria.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced the recall of a sexual enhancement product known as WAP Sensual Enhancement Capsules.
In a statement on Monday, the Nigerian agency disclosed that the recall is due to “undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients” in the product, whose country of origin is unknown, but is marketed and distributed online in the US through eBay.
It was emphasised that the recall is being “voluntarily” made by the manufacturer, Best Supplements Best Prices Company.
The detection of the undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients was made by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Laboratory analysis by the US FDA revealed that the product contained undeclared sildenafil, tadalafil, and flibanserin, which were not mentioned on the product label. Such substances may include phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors or related compounds commonly used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, the statement by NAFDAC stated.
Sildenafil and tadalafil are ingredients in FDA-approved prescription drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction.
It was noted that these undeclared ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates.
Flibanserin is the active ingredient in an FDA-approved prescription drug used to treat low sexual desire in women. Flibanserin can cause drowsiness, sedation, dangerously low blood pressure, and fainting, especially when combined with alcohol.
Consumers have been encouraged to report compromised products (medicines or medical devices) to the nearest NAFDAC office, call 0800-162-3322, or send an email to sf******@********ov.ng.
