The Ekiti State Health Insurance Scheme is set to provide all Ekiti
residents affordable and qualitative health care services.
The State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. (Mrs.)
Mojisola Yaya-Kolade stated this at the opening ceremony of a day
Stakeholders Orientation Workshop on Health Insurance Scheme and Basic
Health Care Provision Fund in Ado-Ekiti.
Dr. Yaya-Kolade disclosed that the Ekiti State Health Insurance Scheme
was initiated by Governor Kayode Fayemi during his first tenure in
office and was eventually passed into law in 2016.
“This scheme is part of the present administration’s efforts to
institute a solid, dynamic and sustained health financing system that
guarantees unhindered health care funding with a view to achieving
universal health care coverage with little or no financial burden on
both the government and the people of the state”. She noted.
The Commissioner who was represented at the workshop by the Permanent
Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr .Folakemi Olomojobi stressed that
the Scheme has come to stay in Ekiti.
Earlier in his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Hospital Management
Board, Dr Williams Afolabi who lauded the Scheme advised that all
Ekiti residents should embrace the programme as it guarantees
affordable and qualitative health care services as and when needed.
In her own remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Primary Health Care
Development Agency, Pharmacist Olabisi Arogundade urged all Ekiti
residents to enroll in the Scheme to avoid health catastrophe
associated with emergency.
“We have to be our brothers’ keepers by disseminating information as
well as mobilizing them for enrollment as soon as the programme
commences”. She said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the General Manager of the Ekiti State
Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Joshua Ileke stated that the objective of
the Workshop was to sensitize relevant stakeholders on the activities
of the Scheme and the Basic Health Provision Fund.
“The purpose of the workshop was to inform, train and sensitize
relevant stakeholders in order to galvanize support, enlist their
interest so that they can sensitize and mobilize their wards,
families, colleagues and their communities at large for the scheme
when it eventually takes off”. The General ManagerS said.
The resource persons at the Workshop, the Zonal Coordinator of
National Health Insurance Scheme, South West, Ibadan Office, Pharm.
Chinyere Nduaka and NHIS State Coordinator, Oyo state ,Mr. Boore
Emmanuel noted that the Scheme has been making efforts at ensuring
universal health coverage where all citizens have access to good and
affordable health care services.
Pharm. Chinyere Nduaka who spoke on the topic: ‘Overview of NHIS
Operations and State Health Insurance Scheme’ said that the Scheme
covers formal and informal sectors as well as the vulnerable groups
with different insurance plans across the country.
Pharm. Nduaka noted that the Scheme was to take care of the rising
cost of health care service, adding that an enrollee/principal has
additional advantage of adding at least five other beneficiaries.
On his own part, Mr. Boore Emmanuel who spoke on Basic Health Care
Provision Fund – Vital Information for Ekiti State’ disclosed that the
fund was for pregnant women, children and the indigent, noting that
these groups are the most vulnerable to health challenges .
Mr. Boore charged relevant agencies to mobilize for fund and the
scheme in order to ensure universal Health care Coverage in Nigeria as
the scheme is set to reduce health challenges and untimely death as
much as possible.
