Ondo State Government has inaugurated Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) Ambassadors, called the “Change ambassadors”.
The inauguration came up at the stakeholders’ sensitization program which took place in Akure yesterday.
The stakeholders are the accountants and the permanent secretaries.
Inaugurating the ORANGHIS Change Ambassadors, the Director General of the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission, Dr. Abiodun Oyeneyin said change ambassador under the “Redeemed Agenda” of governor Akeredolu. “These ambassadors will serve as intermediaries between the public servants and the Commission and would perform the responsibility of passing information across to the public servants.”
Oyeneyin acknowledged the leadership strides and enormous commitment of the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, towards residents of the state especially healthcare of public servants.
According to the Director General, “ORANGHIS is a scheme that provides financial risk protection and significantly reduces Out-of-Pocket Expenditure on healthcare. With ORANGHIS, public servants and their eligible dependants can draw from a contributory pool to fund their healthcare.
“ORANGHIS makes health insurance available for use whenever you or your loved ones need it, mobilizing resources to strengthen our public and private hospitals and create jobs for the teeming health care workers in the State”.
“we have successfully enrolled 95,791 beneficiaries of the Scheme comprising of 36,412 public servants and 59,379 dependants who have all been allocated to their chosen hospitals. Access to care commenced in December, 2022 and we have paid capitation to all the providers to ensure seamless delivery of qualitative health care to all our enrollees”.
“ORANGHIS currently have 56 accredited health facilities (both government and private hospitals across the 18 local government areas) providing quality healthcare services to our enrollees at no cost at the point of care for covered services that include; outpatient and inpatient medical care, surgeries, dental and optical care, antenatal care, delivery including Caesarean section, management of diseases in children”.
“Under our flagship product, ABIYAMO Scheme 35,200 pregnant women and children under 5 years have benefitted from the scheme. Over 10,665 babies (275 Twins, 9 Triplets & 2 quadruplets) have been delivered with 2,932 by Caesarean sections at no cost for covered services. Ondo state government have been consistent in paying the premium for these vulnerable group of Ondo State residents since 2019 till date”.
“The Basic Healthcare Provision Fund Programme (Ilera-Loro Scheme) designed for widows, elderly, people with disabilities, women of reproductive age group and children under 5 which kicked off in October 2021 and we currently have 20,650 beneficiaries accessing care in the 195 PHCs across the state. Plans are in place to enroll additional 10,000 beneficiaries to the scheme very soon”.
Oyeneyin added that about 4,000 public servants are yet to enroll and in the next two weeks, the commission would go round the 18 local governments to do mop up and after that, the state will be set for “Sunshine Health Insurance Scheme” for the informal sector, this will be targeted at the artisans, market women, okada riders, people that are self employed.
In his welcome address, the special Adviser to the Governor on health, Dr. Francis Faduyile commended the commitment of Governor Akeredolu towards the development of the state.
He opined that ORANGHIS will avail better health care services to public servants and their dependants.
In his address, The Head of service, Pastor Kayode Ogundele noted that civil servants must not work for working sake but must work healthily.
Speaking through the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Health, Pharmacist Foluke Aladenola, he added that ORANGHIS is there to take away burdens off the shoulders of civil servants.
Ogundele stressed that they must adapt to manage so that sickness would not come in.
While urging civil servants to spread the good news about ORANGHIS, the HoS stressed that they must not hesitate to report any lapses.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka in his address, applauded Governor Akeredolu and civil servants for believing in the scheme, adding that it is a commendable initiative.
Ajaka stressed that the ministry is getting impressive feedback and promised to look into any other challenges that require attention.
In his goodwill message, Mr Bobola Babatola, the Administrative Secretary of the Hospital Management Board congratulated public servants for being the first set of beneficiaries of ORANGHIS, adding that there are improvements in the health facilities in that state.
He, however, appreciated Dr Oyeneyin and his team for their tremendous works and achievements which has trippled the percentage increase in coverage of ORANGHIS in 4 years.
One of the participants, Mr segun Daso, Director of accounts, sports council said that the Commission has done very well in improving health of the beneficiaries.
Daso added that if the scheme is well supported, Ondo State will be ranked among one of the healthiest states in the country.
Also, Mrs Yemi Olusola said ORANGHIS has hugely benefited for the state public servants, hence, the need for more sensitization for workers.
