71,000 vulnerable persons benefited from health insurance scheme — Osun govt
By Azeez Ismail, Osogbo
The Osun Health Insurance Agency (OSHIA) on Tuesday said that over seventy-one thousand (71,000) vulnerable persons have benefited from the programme.
The Chairman of OSHIA Governing Board, Hon. Andrew Adeoye Adelakun, disclosed that a total number of 206,659 beneficiaries have been enrolled in the scheme.
Adelakun who featured on the ‘News Point’ programme of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osogbo, said 89,148 public servants and 43,915 tertiary institution students, have been captured in the scheme.
Adelakun disclosed that the scheme has provided 53 direct jobs and over 400 indirect jobs.
He reassured the people of the state of the agency commitment to the provision and delivery of seamless services.
He hinted that the agency is collaborating with concerned agencies in the state such as Hospitals Management Board, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Osun Waste Management Agency among others.
Agency had engaged in regular processing and payment of capitation and fee for service to Health care professionals (HCPs), procurement and deployment of ICT support and Health Information management System to 16 OSHIA-accredited government hospitals.
He noted that OSHIA has distributed QIP-facilitated items ranging from printers, computers, human resources etc to 16 OSHIA-accredited government hospitals.
“We have engaged in training of health workers on quality improvement planning and operationaliation of Health Insurance Scheme.
“We have since created over 400 indirect jobs through the engagement of TPAs and OSHIA accredited HCPs under the scheme.
“The Agency also developed standard of our hospitals through quality inspection and accreditation exercise for good healthcare delivery.
“Following the creation of the Agency in 2018, we received a take off grant of 150,000,000 in July 2019. It was followed by state equity grant of 477,912,310.00 for the vulnerable in September, 2019.
“We subsequently acquired temporary office space at HSDP Building Behind OSAMDO House, Ogo-Oluwa Area in Osogbo. We sprout to work as we did commenced accreditation of primary and secondary care providers, enrollment of public servants, engaged Third Party Administrators (HMOs and CSOs).”
Honourable Adelakun disclosed that the total number of beneficiaries is 206,659, which does not include the 30,420 vulnerable persons from Ministry of Youths and Sports and the Osun Waste Management Agency.
He gave the public servants under the scheme number as 89,148 (dependants 49,618; Principals 39,530) and TISHIP as 43,915, Vulnerable persons (BHCPF 40,181; State Equity 31,212) and informal sector 2,203.
The Chairman of OSHIA Governing Board subsequently thanked the Governor Gboyega Oyetola-led administration as it released equity grants and the release of the 3% basic salary of public servants as government’s share of their health.
Adelakun however warned the health care providers who are allegedly maltreating the enrollees, saying the government would terminate appointment of culpable hospitals and ensure that they face the law.
“We have penalties in the law setting us up and they are aware. Apart from the fact that we will withdraw their accreditation, they will also be fined.”
He also said Governor Oyetola creates enabling environment for the successful implementation of the scheme through the establishment of the governing board.
The Agency was established in 2018 by law passed on 30th October, 2018 and assented by the former Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on 20 November. 2018.
