HEALTH INSURANCE TODAY debuts
And Health Insurance Today debuts! Positioned to serve as the voice of health insurance industry in Nigeria, Health Insurance Today magazine will inform and educate stakeholders within the health insurance industry in Nigeria. One of the objectives of Acesta Communications Ltd is to publish health insurance industry news for all stakeholders and fill the gap of information scarce. However, regardless of how the industry news is delivered – online or print – such objective must have the support and interest of health insurance stakeholders in the country.
As a result, the management of Acesta Communications, commissioned DataHome Research and Communications Ltd to conduct a scientific study to determine the information source preferences, frequency of reception, relevance, exposure to health insurance information and adequacy such information in Nigeria. The study, conducted between February and March, 2020, revealed a deep information gap in the industry as information needed for better decision-making on health insurance matters is not readily available. Therefore, the stakeholders need more than it is currently offered by the general interest publications.
Why is it necessary for stakeholders to have more information about health insurance? Health insurance in Nigeria is regulated by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) established by Act No.35 of 1999. In June 2005, the industry was formally birthed when the then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo flagged off the implementation of the Formal Sector Social Health Insurance Programme (FSSHIP). The vision of the government through the working of the Scheme is for every Nigerian to have access to quality and qualitative healthcare. This is in line with the World Health Organization’s global vision of Universal Health Coverage.
Since then however, the industry has witnessed slow growth especially within the informal sector of the economy. Available statistics put health insurance enrolment figure for the country at a mere 4% of the population. One of the critical factors identified as being responsible for this slow growth was that of low awareness of health insurance amongst the populace. It has also been proven that awareness is even non-existent in non-urban areas.
One of the factors responsible for this low (or non-existent) awareness among the general populace is the lack of a veritable and credible platform for sharing of relevant information about the industry among stakeholders. This has led to lack of stakeholders’ solidarity and inclusiveness that is necessary to drive general awareness. Furthermore, non-availability of information about developments within the industry has created poor visibility for the industry beyond individual operators and operator-groups.
The Intervention – Health Insurance Today
It is against this backdrop that Health Insurance Today was conceived to serve as an information rallying-point for the industry and to project the industry for better growth and development. Health Insurance Today, which publishes every quarter (3-monthly),is therefore dedicated to promoting health insurance in Nigeria through the collection, processing and publication of relevant information, events, and developments within the industry thereby improving health insurance acceptance and penetration among the populace. The magazine also aims to stimulate ongoing discourses on topical issues that are of interest to stakeholders and which, it is hoped, will contribute to the overall growth and development of the industry.
The vision of Health Insurance Today is “to be the authentic media platform to showcase the industry among its critical stakeholders and beyond”. It is committed to serving the ongoing information need of the industry and to provide a market-place of information for everything health and health insurance in the country through objective, professional and responsible reportage of industry news as well as an in-depth analysis of policy issues.
Target Audience
Health Insurance Today magazine has, as its audience, key stakeholders within the industry and beyond. These include:
- Private corporate organizations on health insurance services
- Individual end-users/beneficiaries of health insurance services
- Government regulatory bodies at both federal and state levels
- HMO operators and related companies
- Healthcare facilities and providers including hospitals, dental & optical centres, radio-diagnostic laboratory centres, physiotherapy centres as well as pharmacies.
- Professional bodies and institutes
- Organizations offering services to the industry e.g. IT firms, pharmaceutical companies, general insurance companies, etc.
- Members of the general public.
In order to drive this vision, the management of Acesta Communications Ltd, has assembled communication and journalism heavyweights such as Olubunmi Ajibade, Ph.D, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos; Bolu Afolayan, Ph.D, former Managing Editor of National Mirror and current Head of Department, Mass Communication, Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro; and Mr. Lekan Sote, a PR Consultant and Columnist with Punch Newspaper, to serve in the Editorial Board. It has also assembled columnists and guest writers who have garnered years of experience in health insurance industry to share their professional thoughts on happenings in the industry.
The editor is a media, communication and research consultant, Richard Adeyinka Emmanuel. Richard is a mass communication scholar who has previously worked as journalist and editor. The management of Acesta is happy that the editorial team will bring its vision to reality.
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