For many people, the idea of patient safety begins in the hospital: the right diagnosis, the right medicine, the right procedure and care delivered without avoidable harm.

But for people living with non-communicable diseases, safety extends far beyond a single hospital visit.

Diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions often require repeated consultations, investigations, medicines, monitoring and, in some cases, surgery or other specialised treatment.

The longer a person interacts with the health system, the more opportunities there are for things to go wrong, from delayed diagnosis and medication errors to interruptions in treatment and gaps in follow-up care.

This is why the World Health Organization has chosen “Safe care for noncommunicable diseases” as the theme for World Patient Safety Day 2026, observed on 17 September, with the slogan “Safe care for life!” WHO is drawing attention to the particular patient-safety risks associated with conditions that require long-term care and repeated interaction with health services.

For Nigeria, the issue is particularly relevant.

The latest WHO country profile estimates that non-communicable diseases accounted for 27.7 per cent of deaths in Nigeria in 2021, while diabetes is an increasingly important part of the country’s chronic disease burden.

The International Diabetes Federation estimates that about three million adults aged 20–79 were living with diabetes in Nigeria in 2024.

The numbers matter, but the experience behind them matters more.

A person living with diabetes does not simply need to know that diabetes is covered by a health insurance programme.

The real question is what that coverage means when the person needs to test, consult, obtain medicines, monitor the condition or manage complications over time.

That is where health insurance becomes part of the patient-safety conversation.

When people have reliable financial access to care, they are better positioned to seek care when they need it rather than delay because of cost.

When the system provides access to appropriate services and medicines, continuity of care becomes more achievable.

When patients can navigate the system, understand their treatment and participate in decisions about their care, the possibility of avoidable harm is reduced.

The NHIA’s role is therefore not simply to increase the number of people enrolled in health insurance.

As the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr Kelechi Ohiri, has put it, the ultimate test is whether coverage translates into access to appropriate care, financial protection and a better healthcare experience.

This is particularly important for chronic diseases because the financial burden can accumulate over time.

Nigeria’s health insurance system provides a mechanism for sharing that burden.

The NHIA benefit and payment structure includes services relevant to the diagnosis and management of chronic conditions, while the Authority’s current professional fee schedule includes services such as insulin testing and diagnostic investigations.

Its benefit structure also accommodates cancer-related investigations and treatment services, including mammography, CT and MRI scans, bone scans and radiotherapy.

Cancer illustrates the point even....