DELTA State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has said the State Contributory Health Insurance Scheme will become operational in a couple of weeks to provide Universal Health Insurance coverage for all Deltans.
Speaking when he received a donation of 4 trailer loads of medical devices and equipment worth millions of naira from the Chairman, Martha Charity Foundation, Ambassador Immanuel Omoefe yesterday [02-05-16] in Asaba, Governor Okowa stated that his administration was in haste to implement the Contributory Health Insurance Scheme to provide quality and affordable healthcare coverage to Deltans, especially, in critical time of need.
“The Delta State Contributory Health care Scheme is a healthcare financing programme designed to create a system where individuals or group of people make specific contributions for their healthcare cost thereby giving them access to a defined package of quality healthcare services any time they need it; any subscriber to the Scheme does not have to pay cash at the point of service delivery which is often not available in times of critical need”, he said.
He added, “the concept of contributing to healthcare cost is to create a pool, spread the financial risk and ensure sustainability, I am happy to announce that the scheme will commence this month and it is mandatory for all residents of the state.”
Senator Okowa emphasized that his administration would pay greater attention to Primary healthcare delivery as it reaches the grassroots, disclosing that more than 400 Primary Healthcare Centers were in the state and they would all be fully utilized to ensure that people have access to health facilities no matter their location.
“We will pay a lot of attention to primary healthcare delivery as we have 402 primary healthcare centers in the state, and we need to bring all of them to a state of functionality,” he asserted.
While commending the donor of the medical equipment, Senator Okowa directed the Ministry of Health to ensure that the equipment were distributed and put to use in the hospitals and health centers in the state within 48 hours.
He called on other Deltans to emulate Ambassador Omoefe disclosing that the state need the participation of the private sector to impact on the lives of the people.
Earlier, Ambassador Omoefe disclosed that his foundation in partnership with MEDSHARE International donated the medical equipment to the Delta State government because, there would be sincerity in their distribution and usage, reiterating that Governor Okowa has shown clear evidence of honesty which has endeared his administration to well meaning individuals and organizations.
In a welcome address, Dr. Nicholas Azinge, Commissioner For Health, said that a Committee to distribute the donated medical devices and equipment to the hospitals and health centers in the state has been set up and would commence work immediately.
