IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE HEALTH REFORM IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has been recognized by policy makers as an important objective of health systems and has recently received greater attention from international organizations. Slow progress in achieving universal access to essential health services has been observed in a range of developing countries. Various developing countries in Asia and Europe have employed UHC as both a means and an end. Objectives of the UHC policy are to ensure universal access to effective health services regardless of a person’s income or social status, and to protect household income and assets from medical care costs. In low- and middle-income countries, key constraints in achieving UHC include limited government health resources, inadequate health service infrastructure, lack of political will and poor administrative and technical capacity of governments. To achieve UHC in developing countries, there is going to be a need for a substantial increase in the public share of financing for health, through either general revenue or social health insurance contributions, replacing the current dominant role of out-of-pocket payments. The law plays a key role in a country’s realization of UHC. The quality of a country’s health laws and legal practices significantly contributes to the efficient, effective and equitable use of the available health resources and, consequently, the attainment of a country’s health system goals. Therefore, creating an enabling legal environment for UHC is a critical investment to ensure implementation of UHC policies and programs. Governments are not only required to use the law to implement UHC, but also to achieve other related commitments: reduced inequalities, good governance, and access to justice. Law as it relates to public health encompasses any legal framework existing and applicable within a country: formal written laws such as statutory laws, regulatory and administrative laws, contracts, case law, and customary laws.