The Director General of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission, Dr Isaac Akpoveta said the Health Insurance Scheme, during his tenure, has embarked on community-based initiatives like the Tertiary Institutions Student Health Insurance Program, the Indigent Enrollee Adoption Program and the Artisan Enrollee Inducement Initiative.
Dr Akpoveta outlined the various initiatives of the commission as well as updates on their progress and plans while interacting with journalists in Asaba recently.
During the interactive session, he gave an overview of the different categories of the programmes and how they are been designed to accommodate every resident in the state.
Outlining the different programmes, the DG said the Indigent Enrollee Adoption Initiative aims to cover all residents of the state while the Artisan Enrollee Inducement Initiative aims to encourage the artisans in the state to be able to key into the scheme through a provision of soft loans that will be sponsored by banks to all artisans in the state.
The Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP) aims to encourage the students in all the Tertiary institutions in the state to also have access to quality healthcare. Dr Akpoveta states that the TISHIP offers students the opportunity to receive healthcare services outside the school premises or anywhere within the state.
The Director General also mentioned that the commission has partnered with organizations and banks to improve the healthcare infrastructure and plans for future expansion.
He encouraged every well-to-do individual to assist their families and friends to subscribe to the scheme by helping them with the registration fee. Putting it that they can decide to pay for a certain number of persons in their community as a social responsibility to the community.
According to him “During the initial stages of implementation, our efforts were focused on improving maternal and child health outcomes, which were previously inadequate. Over time, we developed a legal framework, akin to an empire’s decree, to guide our actions.
This vision materialized into a tangible structure, symbolized by the tower erected in February 2016. As we began constructing this structure, it became evident that our government lacked a solid organizational framework. Despite this challenge, our registered hospitals were established across the region, and we commenced the transfer of patients for treatment and care.
“Today, we are proud to report significant progress with just Seven Thousand Naira. Just this week, we surpassed the milestone of providing healthcare services to over 2 million people for relief through our initiatives in the state.
“Our efforts have been recognized and validated, with social media serving as a platform to showcase our programs. We are particularly pleased to note the positive impact on university students, who now benefit from our services through their school fees. This transformation is evident in the increasing number of beneficiaries who have accessed healthcare without financial constraints.
“However, our work does not end here. We are committed to continuous improvement and innovation. To this end, we have initiated various programs, including the adoption of indigent individuals and support for artisans, to ensure equitable access to healthcare. Additionally, we have launched a health insurance scheme tailored for students, further expanding coverage and support.
“These initiatives reflect our dedication to enhancing healthcare accessibility and quality, with a focus on marginalized communities. As we look to the future, we remain steadfast in our mission to positively impact lives and contribute to the well-being of our society. We are grateful for the support and collaboration of our partners and stakeholders, and we welcome any questions or feedback as we strive to achieve our goals. Thank you.”
