Osun State Governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, yesterday, flagged off the distribution of Osun Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS) beneficiaries’ card to 69,273 enrollees.
This, according to Oyetola, was both historic and symbolic, adding that it marked a watershed in his administration’s quest for ensuring that none of the people was left behind in accessing qualitative health care.
Oyetola also announced his selection for decoration as Ambassador for Better Health at the UHC Summit being organised by the UHC 2023 Forum in collaboration with Chatham House, London at the Yar’Adua International Conference Centre, Abuja, come December 16, 2021, in recognition of his administration’s sterling performance in the health sector.
Oyetola, who lauded the leadership of OHIS for the sterling performance of the Agency since commencing operation, said his administration was particularly about engineering the Osun Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS) with a view to making all citizens have access to better healthcare.
“To demonstrate this commitment, we released the sum of N150 million as take-off grant for the Agency and over N477million as equity grant meant for the premium for the poor, the needy and the vulnerable within our first year in office
“We also established the OHIS Drug Distribution Centre which is now supplying medicines and consumables to 16 OHIS-accredited government secondary health facilities across the State to put an end to the perennial out-of-stock syndrome of medicines in government secondary healthcare facilities for health insurance enrollees.
“With about 300,000 residents already enlisted on the State Social Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS) and 195,565 successfully enrolled and accessing care under the Scheme, OHIS is up and running well, and we are proud of it as one of the leading State Health Insurance Agencies in the country.
“To further strengthen the Scheme, we have consistently paid the government’s share of public servants’ health insurance premium which is 3% of workers basic salary and paid the equity grant meant for the provision of treatment and care for the vulnerable/less privileged people in the State free of charge, making us the second in the entire Federation to do so.
“It is indeed heart-warming to note that in recognition of the achievements of the Agency, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) selected OHIS for piloting the Integration of Tuberculosis (TB) with State Social Health Insurance Schemes (SSHIS) in Nigeria in collaboration with their consultants at Equitable Health Access Initiative (EHAI).
“The programmes have just been completed and the enrolled patients are already receiving treatment for TB across the State, as part of the OHIS Equity Programme for vulnerable persons,” Oyetola stated.
