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The Bayelsa state government through the state owned Bayelsa Health insurance scheme(BHIS)has commenced enrollment of beneficiaries into the Federal government funded Basic Health care provision fund(BHCPF)
Speaking at the flag-off programme tagged: ‘take-off of implementation and registration of eligible enrollees into the Basic Health Care provision fund’, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Pabara Newton-Igwele,represented by the permanent secretary of the Ministry,Dr. Wisdom Sawyer,described the programme as one of the many devidients of the prosperity government headed by governor Douye Diri.
He asserted that it was long over due the government started benefiting from the Federal government funded scheme,saying that this was to compliment the government’s effort in the functioning Bayelsa Health insurance scheme towards providing affordable health care for Bayelsans.
“This programme has been flagged-off in Yenagoa local government area,but we’ll take it to all the 107 health centres and 105 wards of the state.
“It’s for children under the age of five, for the pregnant women, elderly and the vulnerable in the society.
“No person employed by the government or who is working is entitled to benefit from this fund”, the commissioner said.
Also speaking,the duo of the chairman and Secretary,Bayelsa state Health insurance scheme, BHIS, Professor(Mrs) Onyaye Kunle-Olowo and Dr.Zuoboemi Agadah,respectively cautioned against infiltration of the scheme by those in government’s payroll.
The duo noted that the state health insurance scheme has also commenced the registration of beneficiaries in the informal sector,saying that the scheme over time would attain a universal coverage.
“We commend the national primary health care development agency,(NPHCDA),the national health insurance scheme,(NHIS), the world Health Organization,(WHO) for their partnership.
“This fund has now be released to the Bayelsa state government and this take-off programme of the fund is a signal that we’ve commenced the deployment as well as utilization of the fund for the right beneficiaries and purposes.
“It’s for children under five years of age,the pregnant women,elderly and others who can’t afford their health bills.But not for those who can afford these bills”, they said.
Highpoints of the event were goodwill messages delivered by the state representatives and coordinators of the world health organization,(WHO),the NPHCDA, the NHIS and the executive secretary of the Bayelsa state primary health care development board,(BSPHCDB), respectively.
