The Federal Capital Territory is scaling up its health insurance scheme to reduce out-of-pocket spending and expand access to care for vulnerable populations, a move health officials say is critical to easing the burden of diseases such as sickle cell.
This formed part of discussions at a dissemination event under the PACTS project held at the University of Abuja, where health experts, policymakers, researchers and patient advocates gathered to review progress and propose strategies for improving care for people living with sickle cell disease across sub-Saharan Africa.
The Director of Disease Control and Immunisation at the FCT Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Aderonke Akande, said the scheme is designed to make healthcare more affordable, particularly for low-income and informal sector workers who are often excluded from structured coverage.
According to her, ‘As a resident of FCT, you can actually approach health insurance enrolment with less than 20,000 per annum. This covers you and four other members of your family,’ she said, noting that services such as testing, screening and consultations are provided at no additional cost once enrolled.
She stressed that reducing out-of-pocket expenditure is essential to preventing financial hardship among households, describing it as a major driver of poverty and catastrophic health spending in Nigeria.
Akande added that the informal sector is actively integrated into the programme, with multiple benefit packages that eliminate user fees for basic health services.
‘We have a lot of packages that actually cover testing free of charge, you don’t need to pay for anything,’ she said.
She further highlighted the role of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund in expanding access, noting that more than 60 primary health care centres across the FCT are providing essential services funded by the federal government.
‘Through our basic health care provision fund facilities, you can approach this primary health care facility without paying anything, so far you are enrolled,’ she said, urging residents to confirm participating centres in their communities.
She also noted that emergency ambulance services are available across the territory.
The PACTS programme, funded by the United Kingdom’s National Institute for Health and Care Research, focuses on strengthening health systems, improving access to comprehensive care and generating evidence to guide policy on sickle cell disease.
Co-Principal Investigator and Nigeria Country Lead of the project, Obiageli Nnodu, said the initiative has made significant progress in screening and research.
‘We have screened over 35,000 newborns for sickle cell disease and established the largest cohort in the country,’ she said.
She explained that the programme aims to close critical knowledge gaps while ensuring that patients receive standardised care across primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities.
‘We have focused on the patients in the registry to make sure that the quality of care that they are being given within the hospitals, whether primary, secondary, or tertiary are according to standard,’ she said.
Nnodu added that efforts are ongoing to expand access to effective treatment, particularly hydroxyurea, through training of healthcare providers and patients.
Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, said Nigeria continues to bear one of the highest burdens of sickle cell disease globally, with an estimated 150,000 children born annually with the condition.
‘The question before us goes beyond what research we have uncovered… equally important is what we do with these findings and who is responsible for ensuring that these gains are implemented and sustained,’ he said, calling for concrete policy action and implementation.
Also speaking, Professor Imelda Bates of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine emphasised the need for patient-centred and sustainable solutions, noting that many families face stigma, financial strain and social challenges alongside medical complications.
‘We’re trying to understand what their main problems are and talking to them about solutions they can put in locally that will be sustainable,’ she said, stressing the importance of early diagnosis and improved access to care.
A member of the PACT programme, Nimatu Mustapha, shared how the initiative changed her experience after her child was diagnosed with sickle cell disease, describing how support from the programme helped her manage the condition effectively.
‘My child has never gotten any crisis for the past three years now… very healthy, very smart, strong and active,’ she said.
Participants at the event agreed that while initiatives like PACTS are yielding results, stronger coordination, sustained funding and effective policy implementation are needed to significantly reduce the burden of sickle cell disease in Nigeria and across the region.