Edo State Government will ton Thursday launch compulsory Health Insurance Scheme for enhanced affordable and accessible healthcare.
In a statement, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the governor, at the event, will be launching the Social Health Insurance Scheme/Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).
Besides, Crusoe said the government would also inaugurate 20 revamped Primary Healthcare Centers under the Edo State Health Improvement Programme (Edo-HIP) at the Ofunmwengbe Primary Healthcare Center in Okada, Ovia South-West Local Government Area.
According to him, “The State Government has recorded a number of achievements in the health sector, which includes rehabilitation of the 20 primary healthcare centers in the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
“Also, the enactment of the compulsory Health Insurance Law to reduce out-of-pocket expenses on healthcare and the repair and opening of the Edo Specialist Hospital.
“Others include training of over 500 midwives, nurses and community health extension workers on best practice for care delivery and establishment of the Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) and Infectious Disease Isolation Center.”
The governor’s aide said the source of the funding for the healthcare coverage are the basic healthcare provision fund and equity fund.
He listed some of the benefits for those registered on the plan to include, “Antenatal care; referred antenatal care to secondary healthcare facility; ultrasound in pregnancy; induction of labour; normal delivery and post-natal care; caesarean section in secondary healthcare facility.
Others are child OPD treatment (children under 5 years); referred child treatment to secondary health facility, treatment of severe acute malnutrition; immunization; malaria treatment in adults; chronic disease screening; family planning; emergency stabilization and emergency ground transportation.
