The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has received the National Health Insurance Research Agenda that will boost the sector.

Mr Emmanuel Ononokpono, Deputy General Manager (Press) of the scheme, in a statement in Abuja, said that the presidential reforms of the operations of the scheme in Nigeria had received a significant boost with the unveiling of the agenda.

He said that the document was presented to the Executive Secretary of the scheme, Prof. Mohammed Sambo, by the Lead Consultant of the project, Prof. Adegbenga Sumola.

Sambo underscored the role of research in the industrial and socio-economic development of any nation, stressing that, no nation could record meaningful progress without giving research its pride of place.

“Research is the quest for new knowledge to solve society’s problems. This means that no society can develop its human and material resources without research,” he said.

Sambo said that the research agenda was consistent with President Muhammadu Buhari’s next level agenda for health, which anchors on evidence-based strategic decision making process.

He noted that a three-point rebranding agenda, with evidence as one of its central elements, initiated under his watch, had enabled significant milestones in reshaping the health insurance ecosystem.

Sambo also commended Sumola for the painstaking efforts put into producing the document.

He promised that the scheme would apply due diligence in the implementation of research agenda in the lead up to the attainment of affordable and quality healthcare for all Nigerians.

Sambo expressed the optimism that the document would attract development partners to commit resources into funding research programmes.

The Lead Consultant, Adegbenga Sumola, explained that the document was detailed and had not left any area of health insurance unattended to.

He said: “The agenda would enable the scheme to be more strategic and systematic in addressing various challenges of the health insurance sector.”