By Our Correspondent in Ilorin
No fewer than 10,000 indigents of Kwara state are to benefit from the state insurance health l scheme as part of the move by the state government to bring health care delivery to the doorsteps of the rural populace.
The Reporters, an online publication, reports that the state government has upgraded existing facilities at primary and secondary health institutions, to make the programme achieve results.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq launched the first phase of scheme, tagged “Go Alive Access to Care”, on Friday in Ilorin.
He said:The scheme was a direct response to the goal 3 of the SGDs, which is access to good health and well-being of the populace.
“We are starting this scheme by onboarding at least, 10,000 indigents as a test run.
“These indigents have had their premium fully paid,this means that the health insurance is 100 per cent free for the indigents, we hope to enrol many more indigents in the coming years.
“Health insurance scheme boosts life expectancy of our people, promotes good health,and ultimately strengthens the economy.
“It has the potential to prevent families from sudden fall into poverty as a result of unforeseen health crisis.
“The insurance scheme takes care of basic health issues before they become complicated.
“Studies have shown that most of the health issues found in secondary and tertiary health institutions arose majorly because they were not tackled on time.”
AbdulRazaq commended the partners in the scheme, for their support and the leadership as well as staff of the health sector in the state for their hard work.
He, therefore, urged the compatriots in the formal and informal sectors who are to pay token as their own premium to enrol in the scheme.
“This is because it is cheap, affordable, accessible, and is supported by carefully selected functional facilities and committed medical experts in the state,” he reminded the people.
The Executive Secretary, State Health Insurance Agency, Dr. Olubunmi Jetawo-Winter, Lauded the scheme.
The Executive secretary said “The launch of the Kwara state Health Insurance scheme, today, provides one of the most sustainable and long term solutions to addressing our existing and future health challenges.”
According to Jetawo-Winter, the scheme will make basic health care available and accessible to every indigene of the state, irrespective of socio-economic class.
She explained that through public-private participation of health care providers, both in the public and private facilities,”we are well on our way toward achieving universal health care in Kwara state.”
She, therefore,urged the people of the state to make use of the scheme so as to allow them have access to quality and affordable healthcare delivery.
