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By Amos Odeh, Yenagoa
The management of the Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme says over 485,980 medical cases, including more than 3,411 different categories of surgical operations, have been rendered to enrollees under the scheme from its inception in July, 2017 to December 2020.
Executive Secretary of the Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Zuoboemi Agadah, made this known during an interactive meeting with heads and representatives of healthcare providers under the scheme in Yenagoa.
The executive secretary who said a lot has been achieved within this period emphasized how the scheme has changed the health seeking behaviour of citizens and the general healthcare delivery narrative of the state, noting that there are several testimonies from beneficiaries of the scheme.
Dr. Agadah said in order to serve enrollees better and curtail prices and abuse of the system, management has constantly reviewed service tariffs and added drugs that were not initially in the list as well as ensured approval for upward review of capitation for hospitals as from March this year.
He went further to say that till date the scheme is adjudged to be the most functional and effective state operating health insurance scheme in the country.
Dr. Agadah noted that by November last year the scheme started registration of the vulnerable and the less privilege under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, adding that officials from the scheme have been going to accredited primary healthcare centres in every ward for the registration exercise, as he appealed to community leaders and local council chairmen to identify those eligible and encourage them to turn up for the registration exercise.
He also disclosed that with the state governor’s approval for the building of the Health Insurance House within the state secretariat complex, service delivery by the scheme will be expanded and improved.
He said the construction of the building project, which started last year July, is expected to be commissioned this February during the second year anniversary celebration of the ‘Prosperity Government.’
In separate speeches, the medical directors of Asuifa Hospital, Dr. John Bennibor; Bay Clinic, Dr. Y E Oku; Yenagoa Hospital, Dr. A N Uba and Otuasega General Hospital, Dr. Azibi K.M, lauded the management of the scheme for running an effective and efficient health insurance scheme in the state.
