To ensure that its Health Insurance scheme is embraced by all and sundry, the Ogun State government has taken awareness to tertiary institutions in the State.
The government said the enrollment of students and staff of the schools on the scheme will grant them relief from the stress of paying out of pocket to access quality healthcare both within and outside the campus.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, revealed this during a stakeholders’ meeting with the members of staff and students of Crawford University, Igbesa in the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government area of the state.
The Ogun State Health Insurance Agency and Ministry of Education, Science and Technology held stakeholders meeting with the management and student affairs units of various schools of higher learning in the state on the Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP) initiative.
Coker noted that the tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP) of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s led administration, covers both medical and surgical health needs of staff and students, without financial difficulties, pointing out that the initiative would enhance the development of health facilities in each institution.
The Commissioner explained that Nigeria as a country has signed up with the rest of the world on the importance of achieving universal health coverage, saying the situation of becoming impoverished in a bid to access healthcare should be avoided by all and sundry.
She said the state government has shown commitment to improving the health of residents by renovating and equipping health facilities as well as recruiting medical personnel.
Her words: “TISHIP requires a pool of contributors who pay monthly premiums to meet the need of whoever falls sick among them. This has been the practice in the developed countries which we all envy. We look forward to a long-term collaboration with the management, staff and students of higher institutions so that we can together make our society a healthier place.”
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Ogun State Health Insurance Agency (OGSHIA), Dr. Afolabi Dosumu, said the World Health Organisation (WHO), stressed that the TISHIP as a scheme would protect students and their families from financial hardship.
Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Reuben Kolo, who was represented by the University Registrar, Mr. Moses Itamar, appreciated the health team for considering Crawford University for such engagement, adding that the management will give it all it deserves to ensure things go on smoothly.
