Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State hss disclosed his administration’s plan to establish 63 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the 21 local government areas of the state.
Ododo , who announced this on Wednesday in Lokoja, the state capital, said three PHCs will be sited in each of the local governments.
He said the aim is to improve the health of the people at the grassroots by creating more access to quality healthcare services.
The governor announced this during the flag off and commencement of the free health insurance scheme under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund in Kogi State.
Ododo expressed delight over the success so far recorded in the enrollment of civil servants in the formal sector healthcare plan and the enrollment of vulnerable and indigent population in the state under the basic healthcare provision fund in the state.
The occasion also marked the launch of the access to healthcare for 32,000 enrollees in the formal sector healthcare plan; 41,500 and 87 enrollees in the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and launch of the Ten Years Strategic Plan of the Kogi State Health Insurance Agency.
Ododo used the occasion to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support for the the governments and people of Kogi State through the provision of basic healthcare fund to cater for the wellbeing of the people under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Mr. President has shown trust, confidence and believe in the capacity of the younger generation and this has provided a stable platform for the Kogi State government to deliver good governance to the people of the state.
“We cannot thank Mr. President enough for the various interventions in health and especially at the primary healthcare level through the Basic Healthcare Provision Funds (BHCPF) aimed at meeting the healthcare needs of the vulnerable and indigent Nigerians,” Ododo said.
The governor commended his predecessor, former Governor Yahaha Bello for the bold initiative he took to set up the Kogi State Health Insurance Agency.
He noted that the audacious efforts of his predecessor has become the solid foundation for the development of access to healthcare by a reasonable spectrum of the population of the state.
“I will also like to appreciate His Excellency. Alh. Yahaya Bello, the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, who took the bold and decisive step to establish the Kogi State Health Insurance Agency against all odds.
“The huge investment made in the health sector has provided a solid foundation for us to build on to improve our health system and secure a healthier future for the good people of Kogi State,” Ododo said.
The governor assured that his administration will continue to consolidate on the strides achieved in the health sector by expanding access to healthcare and
revitalizing the Primary Healthcare Centers across the state for improved service delivery to the people of Kogi State.
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Health Dr. Adams AbdulAzeez Adeiza stated that the launch of the acces to care programme in the state will mark the end of out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare in Kogi State.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Secretary, Kogi State Health Insurance, Dr Aledare Adekunle said Kogi State has made a good start in the journey to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with about 122,046 already enrolled into the access to care programme in the state.
He assured that the agency will continue to implement its key strategies as documented in the 10 Years Strategic Plan to achieve 60% coverage of the state’s population in the next 10 years. (vitalnewsngr.com)
