User’s Perception and Satisfaction with Services Provided under National Health Insurance Scheme: A Case Study of Academic Staff of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto

Aim: To assess user’s perception and satisfaction with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Study Design: This descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted between October and December 2017, focused on academic staff who was users of NHIS at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Sokoto state, Northwest Nigeria.

Methodology: Two hundred and seventy eight academic staff completed a self-administered questionnaire.

Results: Findings revealed that nearly all 276(99.3%) of the respondents were aware of the NHIS but less than half 136(48.9%) enrolled into the scheme. Majority 81(59.6%) of NHIS service users access services at university clinic. About half 148(53%) of the users had poor knowledge of how the scheme works, with 168(60.4%) agreeing that NHIS has provided easy access to healthcare, while 220(79.1%) agreed that it protects families from financial hardship of large medical bills. Out of 136 (48.9%) service users enrolled into the scheme 92(67.6%) were dissatisfied with the process of enrolment while 93(68.4%) were satisfied with the attitude of NHIS staff. With regards to the waiting time at NHIS clinic, 80 (58.8%) were dissatisfied, and in terms of drug administration, 99(72.8%) were dissatisfied with the drugs received at the NHIS pharmacy. Majority 98(72.1%) of the service users rated the overall satisfaction as poor and would not recommend the NHIS services for family members/friends.

Conclusions: Based on the findings, it was concluded that the service users overall satisfaction with service provision was poor. It was therefore recommended that periodic survey of user’s satisfaction and factors influencing it should be carried out by health Institutions, and the findings used as a guide in policy and decision making, towards improving service delivery and users satisfaction.