Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Friday inaugurated the state’s health Insurance scheme aimed at ensuring that all residents of the state have access to quality and affordable health care services.

Speaking at the official launch of the scheme in Ado-Ekiti, Dr Fayemi said his administration would continue to ensure that all residents of the state have direct and unbridled access to quality healthcare at an affordable price.

The flag-off ceremony was witnessed by the deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, Wife of the Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; Commissioner for Health and human Services, Dr Moji Yaya-Kolade as well as stakeholders in the health sector.

The Governor also disclosed that his administration had commenced renovation of 16 primary healthcare facilities across the state in order to ensure effectiveness of the insurance scheme.

He urged Ekiti indigenes to prepare for the future by keying into the programme, saying: “The act of insurance simply implies getting ready or prepared for future unforeseen happenstances, that is saving in readiness for unforeseen losses even though nobody prays for one.”

Dr Fayemi said he was confident that the programme will ensure protection of Ekiti families from financial hardships of huge medical bills with the aim to ensure sound health of children and safe delivery of pregnant mothers.

He assured that nobody would be turned away from any of the health services on account of poverty, adding that money has been released to take care of specific vulnerable group especially pregnant mothers and children under five years to participate in the scheme at the point of care.

The governor stated further that the other groups would be gradually incorporated into the scheme as they register and fulfill the requirements.

He said: “The launch of this scheme is very important, considering the prevailing precarious health situation human race is facing worldwide, the launch of Ekiti state Health Insurance Scheme today shows our continued quests to strengthen and sustain quality healthcare delivery in our dear state.

“We are therefore gathered here to prepare for qualitative healthcare for our people even though we do no pray to fall sick, our actions today show that we as a government and people are making provisions for accessible, qualitative, effective and efficient healthcare delivery through the launch of the Ekiti State Health Insurance Scheme. Many of you here would recall that Ekiti state Health Insurance scheme was initiated and piloted under our maternal child health programme in my first term in office, this was eventually passed into law as part of this administration’s dynamic and sustained health financing system.

“As we all know, health insurance guarantees unlimited healthcare funding with the view to achieving universal healthcare coverage with little or no financial burden on both the government and the people of the state.

“The mission of this scheme therefore is to put in place appropriate health plans and programmes that will ensure continuous access of all Ekiti residents to qualitative and affordable healthcare services through collective pulling and redistribution of our financial resources

“As a responsible government, we have also commenced the renovation of primary healthcare facilities across the state starting from here at Okeyinmi Comprehensive health Centre as well as fifteen others to prepare adequate infrastructural facilities for the provision of basic healthcare services at selected locations.”

The governor noted that his administration had recorded successes especially in the area of women protection and empowerment; in construction and industrial development, knowledge economy; security of lives and property; restoration of values as well as the health sector.

He explained further that his administration was committed to supporting the health sector to ensure quality healthcare delivery with the aim of boosting the health status of the state and its entire population.

The highpoint of the event was the distribution of medical kits to some registered expectant mothers at the Okeeyinmi Primary health centre. The distribution was made by Erelu Fayemi, whom also urged the women to take full advantage of the new initiative.

Also speaking at the event, the State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr (Mrs) Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, commended Governor Fayemi for restoring values and worth of lives of Ekiti residents adding that the scheme would provide them with easy access to healthcare with no discrimination to financial status or class.

The commissioner restated that the scheme was introduced to provide universal healthcare and improve access to preventive care as well as provide early effective diagnosis and quality treatment.

She congratulated Ekiti residents who would no longer need to wait for 30 days before maturation of the insurance policy as Dr Fayemi administration had reduced it to 14days.

In their goodwill messages, the representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and National Health Care Development Agency (NHCDA) all commended that state government for the launch of the scheme which they described as being long awaited.

They urged residents of the state to key into the scheme as a way of bringing better improvement to the health status.

PHOTO: Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, with former Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande; when the Governor visited Chief Akande at his country home in Ila Orangun during the week

Update news