By: Tolulope Oluwole
The Ondo State Contributory Health Commission, on thursday said it has cleared 57 accredited public and private hospitals across the 18 local government areas to provide quality healthcare services to 34,783 public servants under the Orange Health Insurance Scheme, ORGANGHIS.
The Director General of the Commission, Dr Abiodun Oyeneyin made this known in Akure, the State Capital today at a news conference.
The DG said the agency had been using professional manpower and robust ICT infrastructure to conduct physical capturing of the 34,783 workers in the state.
Dr Oyeneyin pointed out that the Orange Health Insurance Scheme launched last year by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for the workers, was introduced to provide financial risk protection and significantly reduces Out-of-Pocket Expenditure on healthcare.
OYENEYIN GIVES UPDATE ON ORANGHIS
It would be recalled that Ondo State government flagged off Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) on 27th of September, 2022, with the aim of providing financial risk protection and significantly reduces Out-of-Pocket Expenditure on healthcare among public servants.
Addressing newsmen, Akure today, the Director General, Dr. Abiodun Oyeneyin noted that “ORANGHIS currently have 57 accredited health facilities (both government and private hospitals across the 18 local government areas) providing quality healthcare services to all 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 incuding Caesarean section, management of diseases in children etc.
“The Scheme makes it possible to draw froma contributory pool to fund your healthcare and that of your spouse and children below the age of 18 years. It 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 recently deployed our robust ICT infrastructure to conduct physical capturing of 34,783 public servants (Core Civil Servants, TESCOM, SUBEB, LGSC) in a seamless manner across the 18 LGAs. Our office is open daily to attend to those that are yet to have their capturing exercise. The next phase of the physical capturing of dependents will soon commence.
“Till date, we have paid Capitation to all our facilities and access to care commenced in December 2022. Our team of competent and dedicated staff are working tirelessly round the clock to ensure a seamless provision of quality healthcare services to our teeming enrollees”.
Oyeneyin encouraged “all public servants that have made themselves available for physical capturing that they can proceed to access care in their chosen healthcare provider anytime they have need of it, adding that they are also not supposed to pay any money for all the covered services.”
According to Oyeneyin, “the three (3) accredited Third Party Administrators (TPAS); United Healthcare Limited, LifeWorth Healthcare Limited & International Healthcare Management Services limited (IHMS) are on ground covering the 18LGAS and managing all the health insurance services on behalf of the Commission.
“Their roles include but not limited to issuance of authorization codes, network management, monitoring & evaluation, standards & quality assurance, sensitization & claims management.”
He however appreciated the governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON for giving them the platform to serve the people of Ondo State and allowing the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission to be a part of the success story of his administration.
“We commend the leadership provided by the Head of Service, Pastor Kayode Ogundele and all affiliates of the Expanded labour unions in Ondo State for their dispassionate attitude and meticulous process they walked with us to arrive at the Orange Health Insurance Scheme which was flagged off by Mr. Governor on the 27th of September, 2022. We are indeed grateful.
“At this point, let me thank the Hon. Commissioner for Health; Dr Banji Awolowo Ajaka, SA on Union Matters and Special Duties; Mr. Dare Aragbaye, SA on Health; Prof Dayo Faduyile, Consultant to Mr. Gov,; Dr Funso Ani, Permanent Secretary MoH; Pharm. Foluke Aladenola and other Stakeholders within and outside the health sector for their immense support to this worthy course.”
The DG stressed that there are 20 enrollment officers in the 18 local governments of Ondo State, so people do not have to leave their local government area to the state capital for their capturing.
He said “What we want to achieve is to ensure that the business of government doesn’t stop one day, so people can go in, these processes is totally automated, maximum of 3-5 minutes, someone can be captured and all the data base will be uploaded on our ODCHC health insurance software.”
He added that each enrollee will choose their preferred hospital, as the government will not force any hospital on anyone.
“We’re mindful that not all the hospitals that people want are currently listed with us, not all functional hospitals in Ondo state are registered with the government, we can work with hospitals that are accredited by the National Health Insurance authority and are duely registered with the ministry of health so that we can control quality and also avoid quackery,” Oyeneyin said.
Also speaking on behalf of workers, the Ondo State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Sunday Adeleye who commended the state government for initiating Orange Health Insurance Scheme, charged the commission to ensure that workers are captured at their locations.
