By Asmau Ahmad
The Bayelsa State Health Insurance Scheme, has registered more than 80,000 public sector enrollees less than a year after it began operations, its Executive Secretary, Dr Zuoboemi Agadah said on Wednesday.
Agadah made this disclosure in Yenagoa while signing a Memorandum of Understanding with an Heath Maintenance Organisation, United Healthcare International for the scheme’s technical support.
The State Government started an health insurance scheme for its workforce in June 2017 with a plan to extend the scheme to cover the informal sector in due course.
Dr Zuoboemi Agadah
Agadah, who said that the enrollment was ongoing, added that the feedback from the registration desk was encouraging.
He said that in spite of the growing number of enrollees in the scheme, government had also met its financial obligations to health care providers.
According to him, feedback from the enrollees and other stakeholders in the health sector, shows that the scheme is doing well.
The Executive Secretary attributed the success so far recorded to the adoption of the template already put in place by the National Health Insurance Scheme of the Federal Government.
He said that the Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme was also collaborating with other states of the federation where similar schemes were being run.
Agadah said that such collaboration was to overcome the teething problems of the scheme for the benefit of stakeholders.
He said that the scheme was able to face the challenges at the initial stages through an effective Quality Assurance and Compliance Management System.
Agadah applauded the United Healthcare International for its expertise and support for the scheme since inception in June 2017, resulting in high standards in its overall implementation.
He said that the scheme made available quality and affordable health care to enrollees, who paid just 10 per cent of the cost of drugs in addition to the monthly premiums paid by civil servants.
Agadah lauded Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa for establishing the scheme, adding that plans had reached an advanced stage to cover the private sector.
In his response, Dr Kazeem Mustapha, the Executive Director, United Healthcare, noted that the zeal and commitment of the managers of the Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme was commendable.
He said that the quick impact of the scheme was informed by the direct result of the determination of the Bayelsa Government to improve the health status of its citizens.
