Kuni Tyessi in AbujaThe National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has taken a decisive step in advancing Nigeria’s progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with the launch of the pilot of the neonatal component of the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEmONC) in Kano State. In a statement by the NHIA Director General, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, on Tuesday, the initiative, which builds on the successes already recorded in maternal programme, was formally inaugurated during a high-level delegation visit to the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) and the Kano State Ministry of Health (KSMOH). Commending the expansion, the Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusif, stated that additional facilities suitable for neonatal care had been identified for possible inclusion, and charged participating hospitals to target a 95 per cent survival rate for admitted neonates. The visit culminated in the inauguration of the hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU), a dedicated facility for newborns requiring intensive care. “The NHIA and state representatives agreed on immediate next steps, including the onboarding of clinical and administrative teams, standardization of documentation processes and expansion of the neonatal programme as readiness is confirmed.