Patients on the Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme have been facing long waits and bad attitudes at hospitals. The agency running the scheme has now told hospital bosses to fix it.

The agency's Managing Director, Dr Augustine Ezeka, summoned the Chief Medical Directors of all 117 accredited healthcare facilities to a meeting on Tuesday in Awka. His message was blunt: treat enrollees well, or the scheme will fail.

"Good customer service will improve confidence in the scheme and expand access to quality healthcare," Ezeka said.

He identified two main complaints from enrollees: poor customer care and some providers charging more than the approved tariffs. The meeting, he said, was meant to strengthen collaboration and address those concerns.

Ezeka, a medical doctor, stressed that the quality of the patient experience is critical to the scheme's success and the state's goal of universal health coverage.

"We recognise that there are challenges in the system, but through collaboration, we can overcome them," he said.

He pointed out that health insurance is compulsory in many developed countries and urged providers to align with Governor Charles Soludo's vision of making quality healthcare accessible without financial hardship.

A health finance specialist, Alfred Ebiakafo, gave a presentation on why customer relations matter. He said patients come to hospitals under financial and emotional pressure, and good treatment will attract more people.

"Good customer care will attract more people to your facility, increase capitation and ultimately support the growth and development of hospitals," Ebiakafo said.

He also called on the agency to strengthen its monitoring of accredited facilities to ensure they deliver quality service.

Some hospital bosses raised their own concerns. They said patients often insist on specific medications and treatment options, and threaten to go elsewhere when their demands aren't met.

They also asked the agency to set up a health bank and approve specific drug suppliers. This, they argued, would improve access to quality medications and strengthen healthcare delivery.

The Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme was launched to help residents access healthcare without paying out of pocket at the point of service. Enrollees pay premiums into a pool, and accredited hospitals are paid from that pool to treat them.

But the system only works if hospitals actually treat patients properly. If patients lose trust, they'll stop enrolling, and the scheme collapses.

Ezeka reaffirmed the agency's commitment to expanding coverage and improving access. But he made it clear that the hospitals must do their part.

The ball is now in the court of the 117 CMDs. If they don't improve, the agency may have to take tougher action.