Micro Health Insurance and Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria: Empirical Evidence from Lagos State

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Date
2015
Authors
Musa, A.O
Francis, S.D
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Lagos Press, Akoka
Abstract
The challenge of poverty pervades all economies of the world, though in varying degrees.The challenge is however more serious for a developing economy like Nigeria with her huge population currently estimated at over 170 million.To overcome this challenge and achieve some of the millennium development goals (MDGs), various options must be evaluated.This study therefore evaluates the potentials of micro health insurance in solving the poverty challenge in Nigeria.The study argued that poor health status of individuals limit their production capacity and hence may force them to sell their valuables in order to meet health care and other basic household needs. Using a survey research design, data was collected from 150 randomly selected low income earners in Lagos State, Nigeria through a structured questionnaire administered by the researchers.The collected data was subjected to descriptive statistics, reliability test, ANOVA, correlation, and regression analysis to determine the relationship between the dependent and independent variables, and the explanatory power of the independent variables on the dependant variable. The results suggest that micro health insurance can be used as a strategy for improving the living condition of the poor through the elimination of catastrophic health expenditures that could otherwise cripple their earning capacity.Based on the result, it is recommended that various enlightenment programmes should be employed by stakeholders in the insurance industry to popularise the benefits of micro health insurance among low income earners.
Description
Journal Articles
Keywords
Micro Health Insurance , Low income earners , Stakeholders , Poverty
Citation
Musa, A.O and Francis, S.D (2015). Micro Health Insurance and Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria: Empirical Evidence from Lagos State. Unilag Journal of Humanities, Vol.3(1), 58-74p.