Introduction: The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was launched in Nigeria June, 2005
and covers public civil servants in Federal Establishments.
?im : This study compared the pattern of utilization of the staff clinic two years before and
after the commencement of NHIS at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.
Methodology: Descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out using records of patients seen at
staff clinic, Unilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin two years before and after the commencement of
National Health Insurance Scheme. Information obtained from the hospital records was entered
into the Epi-Info software of the computer. A p-value of <0.05 was statistically significant for the
study.
Results: A total of 29,422 patients were seen in the period under review. Mean attendance per
month before and after the commencement of National Health Insurance Scheme was 357 and
870 respectively. Communicable diseases accounted for 71% of cases seen before and 66.4% of
cases seen after commencement. While for non communicable diseases hypertension was most
prevalent accounting for 11% and 14% of all cases before and after NHIS respectively. There was
a statistically significant difference (p=0.0003645) in patients seen after the commencement of
National Health Insurance Scheme as more staff compared to their dependants attended the
staff clinic.
Conclusion: National Health Insurance Scheme led to 144% increase in the utilization of health
services at staff clinic of Unilorin Teaching Hospital. More studies need to be done to probe into
factors responsible for this increase and to rule out possible abuse of the scheme.