Niger government has announced a 50 per cent reduction in healthcare costs at public health facilities, effective September 1, 2024.
This decision, approved by the Council of Ministers on Thursday, aims to make healthcare more affordable and accessible nationwide.
From September 1, the new decree will specifically reduce the costs of the following: curative consultations for persons over the age of five, observation of patients, hospitalisations, laboratory tests, imaging examinations, and medical-surgical procedures.
Additionally, childbirth services will now be free, and the previously required lifetime fee of 150,000 FCFA ($254) for dialysis will no longer be paid by patients.
The decree also announced that healthcare costs will be set and harmonised across all levels of public health facilities, with the view to reduce costs for patients across the country.
A press release from the Council of Ministers explained that the current healthcare prices were inconsistent and a significant barrier to access for many Nigeriens. The council noted that this reduction in healthcare costs was part of its commitment to improving the population’s health.
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