By Aminata Kuyateh
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) on Thursday held a press conference to update stakeholders and the public on its latest initiatives, collaborations, and achievements in strengthening healthcare access across the country.
The event, held at SDKJ-ICC, brought together representatives from government institutions, healthcare providers, development partners, and the media to discuss critical advancements in national healthcare coverage.
In 2021, government introduced the National Health Insurance Scheme, a bill that seeks to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for middle and low earners to access basic health care service.
Since then, the National Health Insurance Authority, the body mandated by the act, has been leading the charge to license and regulate all private insurance schemes.
During the press conference, the NHIA leadership highlighted the progress made in implementing the scheme, which aims to provide quality healthcare coverage while reducing financial burdens on citizens, and enhance the quality of medical services for individuals and families.
The officials presented the latest milestones achieved since the scheme’s rollout. This included the expansion of coverage to vulnerable populations, the integration of new healthcare facilities into the system, and the digitalisation of health insurance services to streamline processes and improve efficiency.
“The scheme is designed to protect residents from financial strains of accessing essential health care services,” said Bai Mass Saine, CEO of the NHIA.
He continued: “Our goal is to create a system where no one is left behind. Where every resident, regardless of their background or status, can receive the care they need without financial hardship”.
Dr Hassan Njie, the director of health services at NHIA outlined the progress registered during the year under review.
He revealed that 538 women were enrolled, with 399 of them finally registered for the national health insurance scheme pilot in the second phase of the advancement.
Dr Njie added that NHIS implementation started with a pilot at the Bundung maternal and child hospital in July 2023.
“We started with Bundung because it is a maternal and child hospital and our focus at the time was maternal and child health services. However, after a year or so of implementation, with lessons learned and opportunities and challenges, we decided to expand the NHIS to 12 additional public health facilities including all the general and specialist hospitals except Sheikh Zayed eye care centre,” Dr Njie said.
The NHIA officials also confirmed ongoing collaborations with the ministry of health, private healthcare providers, and international donors to ensure sustainable funding, technical support, and resource mobilisation.
Despite the notable progress, the NHIA officials acknowledged ongoing challenges, including funding gaps, enrollment hesitancy, and logistical barriers in rural communities.
However, they reassured the public of their commitment to addressing these issues through increased public awareness campaigns, stakeholder engagement, and policy reforms.
Looking ahead, the NHIA officials outlined ambitious plans to expand enrollment, enhance service delivery, and introduce innovative financing mechanisms to sustain the scheme. A key component of their strategy involves leveraging digital platforms to improve efficiency in patient registration, claims processing, E-NHIS platform and service delivery.
The NHIA urged all Gambians to actively participate in the scheme and take advantage of its benefits. The officials also encouraged citizens to stay informed about registration processes and eligibility requirements to maximise the scheme’s impact.
As the NHIA continues its mission to strengthen healthcare coverage in The Gambia, stakeholders remain optimistic that through strategic partnerships and sustained commitment, Gambia’s vision of universal health coverage will become a reality for all citizens.
