2.0.1. Introduction:
Under the NHIS, a principal beneficiary is the
employee etc, who is primarily registered and who stands to benefit from the
health scheme together with the spouse and four biological children below the
age of 18 years, having made the necessary contribution
towards the health
scheme. More dependants would be covered on the payment of additional
contributions from the principal beneficiary. However children above 18 years
who are in tertiary institution such as the undergraduates are considered to be
covered under a different scheme. A large segment of the population has been
described as vulnerable and lacking the financial ability to pay for their
basic healthcare services. such are:
· People
residing in rural communities6
· Under
– fives
· Permanently
disabled individuals and
· Students
in institutions of higher learning.
These groups therefore may solely rely
on their families, philanthropies and government on issues pertaining to their
health reads. As a means of catering for the health needs of these people, and also as a result of evolving
demands and health needs of persons not adequately catered for under the
pioneer NHIS, and also the realization of the
need for a Universal Health Coverage by the year 2015, more schemes were
established to particularly address these peculiar needs. These scheme are:
· The
Formal Sector Social Health Insurance Programme – FSSHIP.
· Urban
self Employed Social Health Insurance Programme – USESHIP.
· Rural
Community Social Health Insurance Programme – RCSHIP
· Children
under – 5 Social Health Insurance Programme – CUSHIP
· Permanently
Disabled Persons Social Health Insurance Programme – PDPSHIP
· Prison
Inmates Social Health Insurance Programme – PISHID
· Tertiary
Institutions/Voluntary Participant Social Health Insurance Programme – TISHIP
· Armed
Forces/Police and other Uniformed Forces Social Health Insurance Programme –
AFSHIP.
The
health care needs of these undergraduates in Nigeria tertiary institutions are
piloted under the TISHIP, which provides their health needs at a very low cost.
This scheme applies to students in universities, colleges of education,
polytechnics, schools of Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Technology, and other
specialized Colleges of Agriculture and Monotechnics7.
2.0.2. DEFINITION:
The
Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Programme is a social security
system whereby the healthcare of students in tertiary institutions is paid from
funds pooled through the contributions of students. It is a programme committed
to ensuring access to qualitative healthcare service for students of tertiary
institutions thereby promoting the health of students with a view to creating
conducive learning environment. It takes cognizance of the current practices
and challenges faced by students in accessing care both during and out of
session, as well as the potential of the current tertiary health facilities to
maximize access to quality healthcare.
2.0.3. The purpose of TISHIP:
The
Purpose of TISHIP is to cater for the health care needs of Nigerians, aged 18
years and above, within tertiary institution, who by nature of their age and
studentship status, cannot benefit under other health insurance programmes.
The
population constitutes a very large percentage of the country’s population. By virtue
of their age and their status as students, most of them cannot benefit from the
public sector programme as enrollees or dependants of enrollees. This
necessitates a targeted programme, designed to meet their needs.
Providing
students access to qualitative and affordable healthcare is not only imperative
to the achievement of the presidential mandate which is to achieve Universal
Coverage and access healthcare services for all Nigerians and legal residents
by 2015, but also to the overall development of our Nation.
The
ultimate goal is to ensure the health, and well-being of this critical
population with a view to creating a conducive learning environment and
contributing to the overall development of the country.
2.0.4. Guiding principles of
TISHIP:
The
design and implementation of the Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance
Programme are based on the following guiding principles; of healthcare services
based on the principles;
i.
Universal – the right of the citizenry
to access healthcare services based on the principles of universal coverage
irrespective of their geographical locations.
ii.
Equity – the right of students to
receive healthcare in equivalent balances, drives the fact that “Unnecessary”
or “Avoidable” gaps in health and healthcare service delivery between groups
with different levels of social privilege should be eliminated.
iii.
Social solidarity – the broader risk
pooling and equitable benefits in exchange for contributions from those able to
make payment.
iv.
Responsiveness – the thrust of qualitative
service delivery for every student regardless of age or social class reflected
through prompt delivery of healthcare services, reduced waiting time, service
value for premiums paid and so on.
v.
Fiduciary responsibility – these are
important responsibilities and are subject to standards of conduct because they
act on behalf of participants in a group health plan and their beneficiaries.
It is the obligation for people entrusted with financial affairs to act in
their client’s best interest, theoretically being both transparent in their
dealings and accountable for them.
vi.
Innovation – to reflect student-friendly
changes in actuarial and service delivery policy and progressive dynamics from
the private sector that have helped to moderate the rise in health insurance
cost, create new models for care delivery and financing, and support the
movement towards patient – centered healthcare.
2.0.5. Objectives of
TISHIP:
· To
ensure that every student in Tertiary institutions has access to good health
services.
· To
protect students and families from the financial hardships of huge medical
bills.
· To
maintain high standard of healthcare delivery services within Tertiary Institutions.
· To
ensure availability of funds to the tertiary institution health centres for
improved services.
To take cognizance of
the peculiar........................................................................
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