The Federal Government has introduced a neonatal care programme at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), designed to improve healthcare access for newborns, particularly those from low-income and vulnerable households.
The initiative, implemented under the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), will provide promotive, preventive, and emergency healthcare for children from birth to age five.
Speaking at the launch, the NHIA Director of Informal Sector Department, Dr. Salahuddeen Sikiru, said the programme will cover critical neonatal conditions, including prematurity, birth asphyxia, sepsis, jaundice, and sickle cell complications.
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He explained that beneficiaries would be required to present their National Identification Number (NIN) for verification, while the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at AKTH will submit weekly lists of patients to NHIA for reimbursement.
According to Dr. Sikiru, the scheme, which commenced recently, will run until 2027 and is expected to reduce the financial burden on families in need of urgent neonatal care.
The intervention forms part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises improved healthcare delivery and access for Nigerians.