Author(s)

Ishola Babatunde Omotowo^1*, Uchechukwu Enuma Ezeoke¹, Ikechukwu Emmanuel Obi¹, Benjamin S. Chudi Uzochukwu¹, Chike Chuka Agunwa¹, Christopher Bismarck Eke², Chinedu Arthur Idoko¹, Ancilla Kate Umeobieri¹

¹Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria.
²Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria.

Introduction: Several Nigerians are completely denied access to adequate health care because of cultural, temporal and financial factors with inequity. Objectives: To ascertain the household perceptions, willingness to pay, benefit package preferences, and health systems readiness for Insurance Scheme. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 400 heads of households and 43 health workers in Enugu, Southern Nigeria. Results: Awareness of NHIS among the heads of household was 56.8%, while it was 86% among the health workers. Awareness of NHIS among heads of households was significantly associated to both educational level (X² = 16.083, P = 0.001), and occupation (X² = 5.694, P = 0.017). More males (61.6%) had correct perceptions of NHIS compared to females (58.6%), but not statistically significant (X² = 0.336, P = 0.562). Majority of households respondents 89% are willing to pay for NHIS. Willingness to pay was significantly associated to occupation (X² = 5.169, df = 1, P = 0.023), but willingness to pay mandatory 5% premium was not significantly associated to occupation (X² = 0.884, P = 347). Only 11.6% of the health facilities are enlisted as providers in the scheme. Conclusion: Willingness to pay was high, but majority are not ready to pay 5% premium of their earnings. Awareness creation programmes should be improved for the public, and more health facilities enlisted for wider coverage.

Perceptions, Willingness to Pay, Health Insurance, Nigeria

Omotowo, I. , Ezeoke, U. , Obi, I. , Uzochukwu, B. , Agunwa, C. , Eke, C. , Idoko, C. and Umeobieri, A. (2016) Household Perceptions, Willingness to Pay, Benefit Package Preferences, Health System Readiness for National Health Insurance Scheme in Southern Nigeria. Health, 8, 1630-1644. doi: 10.4236/health.2016.814159.