The Ondo State Contributory Health Commission Office Complex, has been inaugurated, marking the commencement of heath insurance scheme bill which was passed by the Ondo State House of Assembly and signed into law last year by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
Speaking at the inauguration of the office complex in Akure, the State capital, Governor Akeredolu said healthcare remains one of the human development indices of any nation and people must have access to affordable, accessible, acceptable, sustainable and qualitative healthcare.
He noted that quality and affordable healthcare services is inalienable right of the people, which he said is an evidence of human dignity.
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The Governor added that Universal Health Coverage ( UHC ) is important to developed countries, which has achieved alot in playing down the role of out-of-pocket payments in the financial access to healthcare.
He, therefore, said his government has resolved to key into health insurance, which everyone would contribute little money to access quality and affordable healthcare when someone falls sick.
Governor Akeredolu said the Contributory Health Insurance will guarantee Universal Health Coverage, stressing that the government is determined to ensure that health benefit is for all by providing a platform where both the rich and the vulnerable could draw financial strength to cater for their challenges.
He stated that one of the conditions designed by the Federal Government for each of the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to access the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund ( BHCPF ) is the establishment of Health Insurance Agency and Scheme.
The state helmsman explained that the Federal Government has set aside 1% of Consolidated Revenue Fund as BHCPF, 50% of the fund would be disbursed to the Health Insurance Scheme of each state and FCT yearly, while 45% will go to the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and the remaining 5% will be for Emergency Medical Treatment.
He added that with the establishment of the state’s health insurance commission and scheme, and payment of the required counterpart fund of One Hundred Million naira, Ondo State would benefit maximally from the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, which he said would go a long way at reducing cost of access quality healthcare services.
Akeredolu went further that amount to be paid by each resident would be determined by their income, while the state government would take care that of the vulnerable in the society, the pregnant women and children under 5 years of age, stressing that the gesture was aimed at reducing to the barest minimum the financial barrier to access qualitative healthcare in the state.
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro, said the official inauguration of the office complex signal that the Contributory Health Scheme has began operation in Ondo State.
The Health Commissioner noted that with the insurance scheme, people of the state have an assuring means of unhindered access to quality healthcare delivery.
He went further that the scheme will be managed by the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission with Dr. Abiodun Oyeneyin as the General Manager who resumed duty on June 1st, 2019.
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