SUNU Health Backs NHIA’s One-Hour Approval Policy, Rallies Providers to Improve Healthcare Access
SUNU Health Nigeria Limited has reaffirmed its commitment to improving healthcare delivery by supporting the National Health Insurance Authority’s (NHIA) newly introduced one-hour authorization response policy while strengthening collaboration with healthcare providers across Lagos and Ogun states.
The Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) made the commitment during its second-quarter Providers’ Forum for the Lagos-Ogun region, held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos. The forum, themed “Improving Quality and Access to Care Through Stronger Provider Network,” brought together hundreds of healthcare providers and industry stakeholders to explore ways of enhancing access to quality healthcare services for enrollees.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Operating Officer of SUNU Health, Dr. Faith Nwachi, who represented the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Moyosore Olomola, reaffirmed the company’s dedication to operating within regulatory and operational frameworks to guarantee quality healthcare for its enrollees.
According to her, access to quality healthcare can only be achieved through deliberate collaboration, strategic partnerships, and a shared commitment to excellence among stakeholders.
“A strong provider network is the backbone of any effective healthcare system. It ensures that our mutual enrollees receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place, and at the right price,” she said.
Dr. Nwachi disclosed that SUNU Health would fully comply with the NHIA’s one-hour authorization approval timeline, describing it as consistent with the company’s core value of promptness and its corporate philosophy, “Humanity is the centre of our initiatives.”
As part of efforts to improve service delivery, the HMO also unveiled its newly upgraded operational software and mobile application, SUNU Legacy, designed to enhance efficiency and improve enrollee experience.
The NHIA Lagos State Coordinator (Ikeja), Dr. Bethuel-Kasimu Abraham, said the one-hour authorization policy was introduced to eliminate unnecessary delays in accessing healthcare services, improve continuity of care, enhance patient outcomes, and strengthen accountability among HMOs.
He explained that where an HMO fails to provide authorization within the stipulated one hour, healthcare providers should notify the NHIA via email—copying the HMO and attaching evidence of the request—before proceeding with treatment for the enrollee.
Also speaking, the NHIA Ogun State Coordinator, Mr. Dare Adefeso, acknowledged complaints from enrollees regarding the unavailability of prescribed drugs and discriminatory treatment by some healthcare facilities.
He assured stakeholders that the authority was addressing the issues and stressed that all accredited healthcare providers must ensure enrollees receive quality care without discrimination, provided their health insurance plans remain active.
In her remarks, the Ogun State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs. Aishat Tiamiyu, praised SUNU Health for its consistent quality service, revealing that the agency has remained enrolled with the HMO for more than 25 years.
She commended the organisation’s impressive track record and called for the immediate enrolment of newly recruited NOA personnel into the health insurance scheme.
SUNU Health noted that the Providers’ Forum remains one of its strategic platforms for engaging healthcare providers, addressing operational challenges, introducing innovative technology solutions, and strengthening partnerships aimed at delivering quality healthcare services across Nigeria.
Image 1: L-R: Dr. Usifo Aikpokpo, Head of Medical, SUNU Health; Mrs. Niyiloluwa Olagundoye of NTA Abeokuta; Mr. Maxwell Maduagwu, Medical Director, Preston Hospital, Lagos; Mrs. Aishat Tiamiyu, Ogun State Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA); Otunba Oluwadare Adefeso, NHIA Ogun State Coordinator; Dr. Bethuel-Kasimu Abraham, NHIA Lagos State Coordinator; Dr. Faith Nwachi, Chief Operating Officer, SUNU Health; and Dr. Olabode Bakare, Managing Director, Bess Hess Hospital, during the SUNU Health Lagos-Ogun Q2 Providers’ Forum 2026 held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos.
Image 2: Executive management of SUNU Health Nigeria Limited, officials of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), National Orientation Agency (NOA), healthcare providers, and other stakeholders during the Lagos-Ogun Q2 Providers’ Forum 2026 at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos.
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