Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has announced a N1 billion Hospital Intervention Fund and free health insurance coverage for retirees as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and achieve universal health coverage in the state.
The governor made the announcement on Monday at the maiden National Summit of State Social Health Insurance Agencies (SSHIAs) held at the International Culture and Event Centre (The Dome), Akure.
Speaking on the theme, “Economic Realities and the Universal Health Coverage Dream: Mobilising States for Scalable Health Insurance,” Aiyedatiwa said access to quality healthcare should not be determined by a citizen’s financial status.
He noted that worsening economic conditions and inflation have made healthcare financing more challenging, forcing many families to delay seeking medical attention until illnesses become severe.
According to him, social health insurance remains a critical tool for protecting citizens from catastrophic health expenses and ensuring equitable access to healthcare services.
The governor said the state’s Orange Health Insurance Scheme currently covers public servants and their dependants, while enrolment has also commenced for participants in the informal sector and local security outfits.
He added that the Abiyamo Maternal and Child Health Insurance Programme continues to provide free antenatal care, safe delivery services and health coverage for children under five years.
Aiyedatiwa also announced the inclusion of retirees in the Orange Health Insurance Scheme, with the state government taking full responsibility for their enrolment costs.
He explained that the decision was informed by the increasing healthcare needs of pensioners and the rising cost of medical care.
To further improve healthcare delivery, the governor disclosed that the State Executive Council had approved the procurement of modern medical equipment for secondary health facilities across the state.
He also revealed that Ondo had become the first state in Nigeria to implement the newly approved salary structure for health workers, a move aimed at improving welfare, reducing brain drain and retaining skilled professionals.
The governor further announced the approval of a N1 billion Hospital Intervention Fund to expand and modernise healthcare facilities across the state, describing it as a strategic investment separate from routine health expenditure.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Awolowo-Ajaka, said the summit provided an opportunity for stakeholders to explore innovative financing strategies needed to sustain healthcare delivery amid economic challenges.
Also speaking, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Health and Chairman of the Forum of Health Commissioners, Dr Oyebanji Filani, commended Ondo State for recording the lowest neonatal and infant mortality rates in Nigeria.
Filani said available data showed neonatal mortality at three per 1,000 live births and infant mortality at eight per 1,000 live births, describing the achievement as evidence of effective healthcare interventions in the state.
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The Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, stressed the need to expand health insurance coverage, noting that over 90 per cent of Nigerians remain outside the formal insurance system and are vulnerable to medical poverty.
