By Kemi Olatunde
34,783 Public Servants in Ondo State have been captured for the Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS), The Hope has gathered.
Director-General, Ondo State Contributory Health Commission (ODCHC), Dr. Abiodun Oyeneyin disclosed this at a press conference on ORANGHIS update in Akure on Thursday.
According to him, the Public Servants includes; core Civil Servants, TESCOM, SUBEB and Local Government Service Commission noting that the next phase of physical capturing of dependants commences soon.
Describing ORANGHIS as a scheme which provides financial risk protection and significantly reduces out of pocket expenditure on healthcare among public servants stated that it makes health insurance available for beneficiaries, strengthens health facilities through resource mobilisation and create job for health workers in the state.
Speaking further, he revealed that the scheme have 57 accredited health facilities including government and private hospitals across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state which according to him provide quality healthcare services to enrollees at no cost at the point of care for covered services including outpatient and inpatient medical care, surgeries, dental and optical care, antenatal care, diagnostic and delivery (including Caesarean Section).
While commending the state Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for his support for the commission, he noted that access to care commenced in December, 2022 adding that ODCHC has paid capitation to all facilities with adequate monitoring to ensure its proper usage.
Oyeneyin who said that the scheme will facilitate improved productivity to the state workforce explained that the commission had employed three accredited Third Party Administrator to manage all health insurance services on behalf of the commission.
He hinted that on completion of enrollment, there should be 120000 enrollee under the scheme noting that there are trained enrollment officers across the state.
Administrative Secretary, Ondo State Hospitals’ Management Board, Dr. Babatola Bobola explained that secondary health facilities across the state have all the required, professional, licensed and practicing medical personnel noting that state of the art facilities are also on ground for patients’ use.
He said that there has been automation of services in the facilities adding that they are in good shape for the implementation of the scheme.
Representative of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Ayodele Adelusi said that measures have been out in place to guarantee the healthcare being delivered in the state saying “we monitor what goes on in any health facility both government and private in the state.”
According to him, the health system of the state will be greatly improved upon with ORANGHIS.
Consultant to the Governor on Health Insurance, Dr. Funsho Ani noted that health insurance came on board due to the inadequacies in the system to reduce out of pocket money to pay for health services adding that with it in place, there will be massive development in infrastructure of health facilities.
Representative of TUC Chairman, Mr Musa Samuel stressed the need for effective monitoring and availability of drug for the success of the scheme.
Representative of the Ondo State Drugs and Health Commodities Management Agency (ODHCMA), Pharm. Jesutomisin Anthony assured of resource management and availability of commodity at all time saying “there will always be commodity security.”
