By Edu Abade
In continuation of its drive to achieve quality health insurance, the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) is wooing the 23 councils of the state for synergy and robust support that will engender more enrolments into its health insurance scheme and utilisation of healthcare services at designated health facilities approved by the agency.
Acting Executive Secretary of RIVCHPP, Dr. Vetty Agala, who disclosed this when she and her team visited Degema Council of the state, said the essence of the visit was to solicit the support of the councils in sensitising residents in the communities to be aware of the programme where those who enroll in the programme would have access to quality healthcare services whenever they need it without paying from their pockets.
Agala, who used the medium to congratulate Chairman of Degema Council, Dr. Agiriye Monima Harry, on his victory at the polls, commended him for his sacrifices and role in establishing the agency.
She pointed out that the journey to universal health coverage, which is one of the motivating factors that led to the establishment of the agency, has to do with equity, quality and financial risk protection, and urged all residents of the state to enroll into the programme that has different packages that would cater to their needs.
Maintaining that social health insurance is people-oriented, has a lot of government support and equity for those who cannot pay, she enjoined the local government areas, well-meaning organisations and individuals to enroll themselves and others into the different packages of the programme.
Agala, who insisted that the 100,000 beneficiaries covered by the government for vulnerable persons are grossly inadequate, also charged the 23 councils to take 2000 additional persons in the place of equity in their domains to fill up the existing gaps.
She noted that under the agency’s Simjara Package, councils could pay a token of N15,000 as premium to enable enrolled persons to access quality healthcare services for one year when the need arises.
She also used the opportunity to solicit the support of the council towards the forthcoming commemoration of Universal Health Care (UHC) and sensitisation of the health insurance scheme in the communities at the grassroots level.
Responding, Dr. Agiriye Monima Harry, who commended the Dr. Agala and her team for the way they are going about their assignments, said the health insurance scheme remains a laudable programme for which the Governor Siminialayi Fubara-led administration should be applauded for making it functional in the state.
Agiriye Harry, however, decried government’s policy, which is making it difficult for those who should truly benefit from the programme to really be part of it, adding that where there are no functional health facilities, needed medical officers and health workers in the communities where the real vulnerable people reside, it becomes difficult for them to access healthcare services even when they get enrolled.
The council Chairman, therefore, urged the authorities to ensure that functional health facilities are established in the rural communities with proper incentives provided for the health workers to motivate them, especially in far flung and hard-to-reach communities.
He also decried a situation where people tend to look down on social, health and human capital infrastructure, but would appreciate only physical structures as achievements and pledged to give RIVCHPP the needed support to enroll more beneficiaries in Degema Council.
Speaking further, Dr Agiriye Harry urged the agency to be more aggressive in its advocacy and sensitisation even as its team members continue to be proactive in the discharge of their duties, which he said, will serve as a kind of self-advertisement.
