Unless urgent steps are taken, Nigeria risks losing her high prized medical personnel to foreign countries due to archaic and poor medical facilities. This warning was given by the General Manager of Ondo State Contributory Health Commission, Dr. Abiodun Oyeneyin in Akure during a courtesy visit to Owena Press Limited. Oyeneyin said the high level of doctors’ flight from the country was frightening and said the situation could be stemmed it doctors have the equipment to work with. He disclosed that the State Contributory Health Scheme due to begin shortly would reverse the exodus of doctors and other medical personnel as hospital approved to run the scheme would be properly equipped and staffed.
The State Health Insurance due to come on steam is compulsory in Ondo State and will breathe confidence to our health sector by ensuring that equality health care is made available to beneficiaries in Ondo State, “he explained”. Oyeneyin, who described the scheme as an opportunity to improve the State health sector, stated that the scheme has been put in place to provide health insurance coverage for residents of the State. He hinted that it will proffer solution to lots of health delivery challenges, noting that health can also be used to transform the economic landscape of the state.
Speaking further, he explained that government has made provision for pregnant women, under five children and vulnerable group, adding that the scheme is compulsory for residents as explained by law. He hinted that all including civil/public servants and the informal sector key into the scheme, noting that the commission which was commissioned in June, 2019 has been working assiduously to ensure that the scheme becomes a success in the state when it starts. According to him, the commission is working towards having an improved health care delivery through the scheme and added that both government and private hospitals will be used for it under strict supervision.
He disclosed that the commission which is private driven and independent is committed to ensuring qualitative service delivery. The scheme is an opportunity to turn around the health sector. Running the health sector is beyond the capacity of Nigeria’s budget and that is why the 95 percent of the money goes back to the hospitals to enable them become centres of excellence. We want to ensure that in few years’ time, there will be no need to travel out of the country to access health. According to him, the scheme will prevent people from financial embarrassment especially when they need urgent medical care. While noting that deduction, which will be affordable, for the scheme will be on monthly basis, he stated that both accredited government and private hospitals with necessary ’ government backing will offer the service, adding that the facilities will be made known to the public in order to make their choice. Oyeneyin assured that both the benefit package and premium will be available to the public in few days. While stressing the need for effective collaboration between government and the people in achieving a robust health sector, he solicited for support with The Hope in order to achieve the aim of government as regards the scheme. In his response, the Chairman of Owena Press Limited, Sir Ademola Adetula lauded the Akeredolu, administration for initiating the scheme, which would provide qualitative medical care and facilities at the door steps of the people of Ondo State. Adetula warned that nothing must be done to squander the Contributory Health Commission as done to other social schemes across the country. He called on political leaders and the elites to curb their greed and selfishness, which had brought down similar schemes in the country, insisting that time has come for all to reinvent Nigeria. Adetula said the reanimation of the country has become a call to duty for all political leaders and elites across the country to reinvent her potentials for the benefit of all and to end the banditry and kidnapping in the land.
