By Stephen Adeleye
Lokoja, Oct. 26, 2021
The Kogi State Health Insurance Agency (KGSHIA) on Tuesday, educated the state’s civil servants on the planned benefits of the total packages under its health insurance scheme.
Dr. Adekunle Aledare, the Executive Secretary of KGSHIA, while sensitising the participants in Lokoja, enjoined them to get themselves enrolled in the life saving health package.
According to him, the program tagged: ”Sensitisation of Public Servants On Formal Sector Health Insurance Plan”, is aimed to educate the civil servants on the need to key into the scheme to guarantee their access to quality health care services.
Aledare said the bill establishing the agency was passed into law on Nov.18, 2018 by the House of Assembly, and assented by the Governor Yahaya Bello, on April 24, 2019.
Aledare said that in recent times, there was a global target to achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030, for all people to have access to quality healthcare services at affordable costs, without suffering any financial hardships.
He noted that the National Council on Health in 2015 charged states to establish their state social health insurance agency, to enable the country achieve Universal Health Coverage.
The agency was mandated to provide equitable access to quality and affordable healthcare services for all residents of Kogi State, irrespective of socio-economic status, to ensure universal healthcare coverage by 2030.
He commended the state government for demonstrating political and financial commitment to the agency, by providing a befitting office space, released for capacity building of the staff, study tour, and accreditation of facilities.
He added that the state government had also developed Operation Guidelines for the agency, training of accredited service providers and sensitisation of relevant stakeholders.
He explained that the package encompassed spouse and four children less than 18 years, while individual plan above 18 years would subscribe with N15, 000 per annum.
Aledare added that the beneficiaries would enjoy free healthcare services, but would only pay 10 per cent of the total cost of any administered drugs.
On his parts, Mr Clement Otitolaiye, the Accountant of KGSHIA, explained that the contribution rate for civil servants was by monthly payroll with a waiting period of three months from the month of first deduction as approved by the State Executive Council (SEC).
Otitolaiye added that 3.5 per cent would be deducted monthly from the employee’s basic salary, while the state government would contribute 5 per cent of employee’s basic salary.
Earlier, the Stste’s Head of Service, Mrs Hannah Odiyo, noted that the State Government in her usual magnanimity had planned to support the civil servants to partake in the health insurance scheme.
She urged the civil servants to key into the scheme so as to enjoy the facilities, saying there were lots of advantages they could benefit from the health insurance scheme.
Odiyo, therefore urged the civil servants to key into it for their benefits and that of their families, assuring them that they would enjoy it, and wished them very fruitful deliberations.
The Permanent Secretary of Administration and Public Service, Head of Service, Mr Eric Dele Aina: urged the participants to pay rapt attention so that they could know the nucleus of the health insurance program.
End