A New Push for Universal Health Coverage as I-HELP Targets Nigeria’s Most Vulnerable with Insurance, Free Care, and Sustainable Solutions

The Global Health Charity and Training Foundation is leading the Inclusive Health Insurance Enrolment Programme (I-HELP) to expand healthcare access in Nigeria.

The foundation, in partnership with the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (P-SHAN), unveiled the initiative at a high-level fundraising dinner in Lagos.

GHCTF Board Member, Dr. Adebayo Akintobi, says the programme aims to close the healthcare access gap for vulnerable Nigerians. He explains that I-HELP combines health insurance enrolment with free medical services and capacity building.

The programme will roll out in Lagos, Imo, Oyo, Delta, and Bayelsa states, following a successful pilot in Ogun State. In its first year, the initiative aims to enrol at least 2,000 indigent individuals per state.

Beneficiaries will receive free screenings, medications, and access to life-changing surgeries. The programme also offers telemedicine services and medical missions led by diaspora professionals.

Dr. Akintobi says the initiative uses a sustainable and scalable healthcare model. He adds that the programme brings together expertise and compassion to ensure no Nigerian is denied care due to cost.

The Federal Government has endorsed the initiative as part of efforts to achieve universal health coverage. Representing the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziak Adekunle Salako, Mr. Ogbonnaya Okpani says millions of Nigerians remain outside the formal insurance system. He warns that high out-of-pocket payments continue to push households into poverty.

He describes I-HELP as a strategic national tool for social protection and improved health outcomes, noting that only about 21.7 million Nigerians—mostly in the formal sector—currently have health insurance.

The Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (P-SHAN) says the initiative reflects a whole-of-society approach to healthcare reform. Dr. Anne-Adda Ogo, Director of Policy and Programmes, says collaboration remains key to improving Nigeria’s health indices. She explains that the alliance mobilises private sector resources for impactful health interventions, guided by data, accountability, and measurable outcomes.

Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, says the programme supports expanded insurance coverage for vulnerable groups. She notes that philanthropists can fund enrolment for children, pregnant women, and the elderly.

She adds that the initiative aligns with national reforms aimed at scaling up health insurance coverage, emphasizing that health insurance remains the most sustainable way to guarantee access to quality care for every Nigerian.

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