The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has expanded its flagship maternal health programme to include neonatal care, launching the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEmONC) pilot phase in Kano State.
Building on the success of its maternal health interventions, NHIA inaugurated the neonatal component during a high-level delegation visit to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) and the Kano State Ministry of Health (KSMOH).
The maternal component, introduced in July 2024 under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), has already provided life-saving emergency obstetric services to thousands of women nationwide. In Kano alone, over 2,000 women have benefited from the scheme.
Welcoming the development, Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusif, praised NHIA for choosing the state for the pilot phase. He pledged full government support, disclosing that more facilities had been identified for inclusion.
He also tasked participating hospitals to achieve a 95 per cent survival rate for admitted newborns.
At AKTH, hospital management expressed appreciation for the CEmONC programme, describing it as transformative for maternal health outcomes in the state.
NHIA confirmed the hospital’s participation in the neonatal pilot and emphasised the urgency of the expansion.
A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between NHIA, AKTH, and Reliance HMO, the designated third-party administrator, to formalise the collaboration. The delegation also commissioned the hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU), dedicated to critically ill newborns.
NHIA’s Director General, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, was commended for his evidence-driven leadership and commitment to reform. Stakeholders noted that the CEmONC programme focuses on partnerships, innovative financing, and data-driven governance.
Similarly, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, lauded NHIA’s efforts, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to reduce maternal and infant mortality while ensuring equitable access to healthcare. With this expansion, NHIA has reinforced its pledge to protect mothers and newborns, bringing Nigeria closer to achieving Universal Health Coverage.
