How SUNU Health Nigeria Restored My Faith in NHIA —Innocent Okoro

A senior correspondent with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Innocent Okoro Onoh, has shared his personal experience with SUNU Health Nigeria Limited, highlighting how the company ensured his wife’s safe delivery despite an ongoing medical sector strike.

In a powerful testimonial, he wrote, “For over a decade, I had dutifully enrolled in Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) scheme, paying my dues and contributing to a system I scarcely believed in. Like many Nigerians, I had been influenced by the negative public perception surrounding NHIA—the long queues, the alleged poor treatment of enrollees, and the bureaucracy that seemed to overshadow care delivery. Despite working as a journalist and covering health events, I avoided using the scheme for my personal or family health needs.”

That perception was forever altered on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, during what could have been one of the most traumatic nights of my life—the night my wife went into labour.

My wife had registered for antenatal care at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Ikotun, Lagos. We were told that in the event of any complications, she would be referred to the General Hospital in Igando, just a stone’s throw away. Confident in the arrangement, we prepared early by purchasing delivery items worth over ₦150,000 and submitting them to the Ikotun health centre a month before her due date.

Labour began at around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29. The contractions intensified, and by 1 a.m., her water had broken. We rushed to the health centre, only to be greeted by darkness and silence. We knocked and banged the gate for over ten minutes before a security guard sluggishly emerged to let us in. Inside, we met a midwife whose hostility was immediate and shocking.

“Why did you come? Didn’t you know we joined the nationwide health workers’ strike at midnight?” she barked. The midwife, who seemed as panicked as we were, reluctantly led my wife inside with the help of a cleaner who had been mopping the floors. Her instructions were clear: “Pray she delivers before 6 a.m., because we won’t keep you here past 7 a.m.”

We were in disbelief. Two women in labour—including my wife—were left in God’s hands. No medication. No professional support. Only a clock ticking toward an ultimatum. Around 6 a.m., with no progress, both women were discharged—sent off to “find any available private hospital.”

I was frantic. My wife’s water had broken hours ago, and I feared for the life of our unborn child. It was then that I remembered my NHIA hospital, and I decided—perhaps in desperation—to give it a try. I reached out to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of SUNU Health Nigeria Ltd, the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) managing my NHIA account. He had always come across as professional and kind, often reaching out during media events. Still, I hadn’t once considered using SUNU’s services until that morning.

What followed next was nothing short of exemplary.

The PRO, upon hearing my situation, sprang into action. He immediately sent a WhatsApp message:

“Kindly take your spouse to Navy Hospital. On arrival, present yourself at the NHIA department for a mail to be sent to your HMO for approval code.”

Although I was unfamiliar with the NHIA protocol, I followed his instructions. When we arrived at the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, we were shocked by the swift and warm reception. My wife’s name had already been entered in their system. The staff at the NHIA desk were courteous and efficient, welcoming us like long-expected guests.

In contrast to the unwelcoming experience at Ikotun PHC, my wife was treated like royalty. The labor room team was highly professional, and when they saw the mountain of supplies, we brought, they joked: “Are you coming to pay bride price?” They barely needed any of the items; their facility was well-equipped and properly staffed.

It was a difficult labour. My wife had to deliver a 4.1kg baby naturally. Yet, through expert care and seasoned professionalism, she delivered successfully—without a single tear.

At the NHIA desk, I was given a clearance form to fill. Again, unfamiliar with the system, I turned to the SUNU Health PRO, who immediately retrieved my NHIA registration number using a few basic details. He even connected me with other SUNU personnel, all of whom were impressively responsive and helpful. Every step of the process—from admission to discharge—was seamless, paperless, and stress-free.

On Saturday, we were discharged. We paid nothing. Not a single naira.

In over 20 years of experiencing Nigeria’s healthcare landscape, this stands out as my best encounter. Not because it was perfect, but because it restored something I had lost—faith in the system.

If every Nigerian on the NHIA scheme experienced what I did through SUNU Health Nigeria Ltd, then the national health insurance programme is indeed working. SUNU Health demonstrated that with professionalism, empathy, and commitment to quality care, NHIA can live up to its vision of universal health coverage for all Nigerians.

To the entire management and staff of SUNU Health Nigeria Ltd, I say thank you. You didn’t just deliver a baby—you rebuilt trust in a national institution. You reminded me that behind every health scheme are people who care, and professionals who are ready to serve.

I hope more enrollees will begin to use their NHIA services, and that other HMOs emulate the high standards SUNU Health has set.

The future of health insurance in Nigeria is bright—if SUNU is anything to go by.”