Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara on Monday made history as he formally launched the public sector Contributory Health Insurance Protection Programme (CHIPP), which is the state’s health insurance programme.
The bill for the programme was signed into law on June 21, 2021, but was never implemented until Governor Fubara reactivated the programme to enable residents and people of the state who want health insurance to participate in the scheme.
The Governor and his Deputy Prof. Ngozi Odu were the first to enlist in the programme which was inaugurated at the Comprehensive Primary Health Centre in Ndoni Town in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
While flagging off enrollment into the programme, Fubara stated that the state’s Contributory Health Insurance Scheme would offer households a measure of financial protection against healthcare costs and help resolve inequality in the provision of available services.
He charged managers of the scheme to be unbiased while administering the scheme so that the most vulnerable in the society are not deprived from accessing critically needed healthcare services insisting that the scheme must foster inclusive and equitable healthcare access for the people of the state.
“With what I am seeing here, we didn’t make any mistake in ensuring that the Health Insurance Programme commenced in our state. It is to increase access to healthcare for the people,” he stated.
Fubara added, “With this, most families that cannot afford expensive healthcare services outside their means can leverage on this service that has been rolled out.
“But it is proper for me to also add that while we are doing this, we shouldn’t undermine the scheme. The services should be properly utilised and the funds released should be applied prudently to achieve the purpose,” he said.
On her part, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Rivers State Contributory Health Insurance Protection Programme, Dr Vetty Agala, said the scheme will enhance chances of achieving universal access to healthcare services in the State.
Agala explained that with the official flag-off done, her team will embark on a round of enrollment of persons into the scheme in all 319 political wards in the 23 local government areas of the state.
“Today, we are here to flag off the enrollment of the scheme. Your excellency, we want to thank you for graciously permitting and approving the Rivers State’s contributory health insurance scheme to be implemented.
“Rivers people can now, indeed, access healthcare without having to pay at the point of service. At all of our programmes, women, people living with disability, the aged and children under five years can walk into this centre or where they are registered, show their cards and be attended to free of charge,” she added.
High points of the launch were the registration of the governor and his deputy, fingerprinting and capturing of both, and presentation of insurance identity cards to the number one and number two citizens of the state.
It was learnt that shortly after the governor’s enrollment, over 200 persons were also enrolled at the primary health centre in Ndoni on the same day of the launch of the thd programme.
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