By Steve Oni, Ilorin.
The Kwara state government has set aside an initial sum of N200 million to ensure adequate funding of its health insurance scheme, tagged Kwara State Health Insurance Fund.
Speaking at the launch of the programme in Ilorin, the state capital, on Thursday, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said that the scheme provides low, affordable premium and associated quality healthcare, adding that the scheme would take his administration closer to the dream of universal healthcare for the people.
He said: “With daily contribution of N25, no more will citizens and residents of Kwara State be unable to access critical treatment because they cannot afford to pay hospital fees or buy prescribed drugs”, he said.
The governor also said that his administration was committed to contributing one per cent of annual Consolidated Revenue Fund to subsidise premiums and service delivery to those considered part of the poorest in the society.
“Furthermore, we are boosting the Scheme with 40 per cent of funds received through the “Saving One Million Lives Performance for Results Initiative”—an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Health, supported by the World Bank and targeted towards the improvement of maternal and child health in Nigeria”, he said.
Governor Ahmed also said that benefit packages of the health insurance scheme include preventive, and curative components of health care delivery, adding that it would have minimum standards of care and service from participating health care facilities in the public and private sector.
In her speech, the executive secretary of the scheme, Dr. Olubunmi Jetawo-Winter, said that registration of enrollees would commence on August 2, 2018 in all the 193 political wards in the state.
Also speaking, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ali Ahmad, enjoined political office holders to bankroll contribution of enrollees to enable people in the grassroots benefit.
End.
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