By Fatima Saka
SUNU Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring prompt and efficient access to healthcare services for its enrollees, as stakeholders push for improved service delivery across the sector.
The Chief Operations Officer of SUNU Health, Dr Faith Nwachi, gave the assurance on Thursday in Lagos during the HMO Lagos-Ogun 2nd Quarter Providers Forum 2026.
Nwachi said the organisation remained dedicated to delivering quality healthcare within the framework of existing regulations, stressing that enrollees’ access to timely care remains a top priority.
She noted that the forum, themed “Improving Quality and Access Care Through Stronger Provider Network,” serves as a platform for continuous engagement among key stakeholders, including healthcare providers, enrollees, and regulators.
According to her, the forum enables the organisation to gather feedback, align with regulatory updates, and improve overall service delivery.
“If there are new developments, like we invited the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), they will inform us of new guidelines and expectations to ensure better experiences for enrollees and smoother operations for all parties,” she said.
Also speaking, Dr Bethuel-Kasimu Abraham, Lagos State Coordinator, Ikeja, emphasised that the forum aims to tackle delays in accessing care, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen accountability among HMOs.
He highlighted the NHIA’s newly introduced one-hour authorisation policy, which mandates HMOs to provide approval codes for treatment within one hour.
Abraham warned that HMOs that fail to meet this timeline should be reported, noting that the policy is designed to eliminate delays and enhance timely medical intervention.
On his part, Mr Dare Adefeso, Ogun State Coordinator of NHIA, acknowledged ongoing challenges in the system, including complaints about drug stock-outs and discrimination against enrollees.
“These are some of the recurring issues reported by enrollees, but we are addressing them and strengthening monitoring mechanisms,” he said.
Adefeso added that going forward, all healthcare facilities are expected to ensure that their patients are properly enrolled in health insurance schemes to promote universal health coverage.
Contributing, Mrs Aishat Tiamiyu, Ogun State Director of the National Orientation Agency, stressed the importance of public awareness in improving healthcare access.
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She revealed that her organisation had been enrolled with SUNU Health for over 25 years and encouraged new staff and Nigerians at large to embrace health insurance for better healthcare security.
The forum ended with a renewed call for stronger collaboration among HMOs, healthcare providers, and regulators to enhance service quality and ensure timely access to care for all enrollees.
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