By Kemi Olatunde

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Measures are being put in place to make secondary health facilities the most preferred by beneficiaries of the different insurance schemes in Ondo State.

Administrative Secretary, Ondo State Hospitals’ Management Board (HMB), Dr. Bobola Babatola stated this during a quarterly meeting of Hospitals’ managers with management of the board in Akure on Thursday.

According to him, this will boost the health sector and give the facilities an edge above private facilities in the state.

He explained that the hospitals are prepared for insurance services as most of them have been accredited, noting that facilities that are yet to do so are speeding up in order not to loose out.

He hinted that automation of services at the various facilities across the state will soon begin piloting with six hospitals including State Specialist Hospital, Oke Aro, General Hospital, Idanre, General Hospital, Ore, General Hospital, Owo, State Specialist Hospital, Ikare Akoko and State Hospital, Okitipupa, noting that it will later be scaled down to others.

Babatola stressed the need for all facilities to have a functional incinerator for effective waste management especially sharp waste.

He called on the managers to be up and doing at their posts especially with the insurance scheme in place and harped on the need to close the gap between secondary facilities and Primary Health Care (PHC) to guarantee effective referrals.

Director-General, Ondo State Contributory Health Commission, Dr. Abiodun Oyeneyin while speaking on the Contributory Health Commission, noted that the Orange Health Insurance Scheme which was flagged up in September 2022 has recorded over 34,000 beneficiaries, stating that the commission has began enrollment of dependants.

According to him, the commission has over 90000 beneficiaries of its various products, hoping to partner with HMB to make relevant impact of utilisation of resources.

Oyeneyin who revealed that the commission plans to review it’s package to ensure that people get quality service from health facilities, called on participating health facilities to turn in their claim for service payment on time, adding that managers should familiarize themselves with PHC centres as regards referrals.

Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr. (Mrs) Aderonke Fagbemi while reviewing Hospitals’ data for year 2022 stressed the need for hospitals to validate their data, noting that no institution can move on without data as it enables organisation establish baseline.