A review on healthcare schemes in Nigeria: A case of Corona Virus pandemic TITILOPE M. DOKUNMU 1, 4 *., CYNTHIA U. ADJEKUKOR 1 , SENANU R. OKUBOYEJO 2, 4 AKEEM BELLO 3, 4 , FOLUSO AYENI 4 , VICTOR MBARIKA 4 1 Department of Biochemistry, 2 Department of Computer Science, Covenant University, Km 10 Idiroko road, Canaanland, Ota, NIGERIA 3 Department of Political Science, University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti, NIGERIA 4 International Centre for Information Technology Development East Carolina University Greenville, NC, 27834, USA Abstract: Healthcare is an important social amenity which impacts greatly on overall wellbeing of persons especially in low- and middle-income countries where disease burdens are high. In Nigeria health insurance schemes aim to improve the health of citizens and provide equal access to healthcare across different income classes. Corona virus pandemic has affected millions of persons globally with adverse impact on health and health expenses. In the case of a global emergency such as the Corona virus pandemic versus the normal scenario, different healthcare policies are implemented. This study reviews the challenges of health burdens, healthcare delivery, healthcare coverage before and during COVID-19 pandemic, health insurance schemes, and strategies for future improvements in Nigeria. This study reports the current state of health insurance schemes and healthcare coverage in Nigeria, during a pandemic and strategies for an all-inclusive policy for less privileged especially those managing long term illnesses. The global economic and health impact of COVID-19 is expected to be long lasting, hence health policies that further reduce hardship and health burdens are critically needed. Keywords: social health insurance, healthcare, covid-19, public health, Nigeria. Received: March 28, 2021. Revised: April 28, 2021. Accepted: May 10, 2021. Published: May 19, 2021. 1 Introduction Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) is ravaging the world and has affected over 153 million people and causing over 3 million deaths globally as of May 2021 [1]. COVID-19 is a viral infectious pathogen causing a global pandemic that emerged from Wuhan in China, and has spread rapidly through human-to- human contact with still emerging information on the biology of the virus. In Nigeria, 165,167 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported with 2,063 deaths as of May 3, 2021 [2]. The corona virus outbreak peaked in most western countries within 2 months of the first reported case but with slower progression in tropical low-income-countries, the highest incidence of the on-going pandemic is reported in the United States [1]. High morbidity and mortality across all age groups have been reported, with higher disparities in black and minority populations [1]. Exponential spread in America, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean, Western pacific and Southeast Asia varies paradoxically from the African region. There are various studies reporting predictions on the dynamics of the spread of the disease [3,4], including models that incorporates disease susceptibility, infection rates, recovery, deaths and immunity factors to simulate the pattern of spread and impact of COVID-19 [3,4]. Variable transmission dynamics of COVID-19 is challenging but limiting human interactions will reduce infections and deaths rates, that can adversely affect the healthcare infrastructure of countries [3,4]. It is alarming the yet increasing rate of spread of the disease in some regions despite several mitigating strategies. After successive declines in the first and second waves, countries are experiencing increasing cases in a third wave of COVID-19 pandemic with the unprecedented cases emerging in India [1]. COVID-19 has become a global health emergency that undermines healthcare schemes available in the developed and developing countries. The initial emergency response to the disease in different countries relied on their available healthcare WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on BUSINESS and ECONOMICS DOI: 10.37394/23207.2021.18.83 Titilope M. Dokunmu, Cynthia U. Adjekukor, Senanu R. Okuboyejo, Akeem Bello, Foluso Ayeni, Victor Mbarika E-ISSN: 2224-2899 875 Volume 18, 2021