The governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki gave the assurance during a meeting with the Chairman, Committee for the Establishment of Edo State Health Insurance Scheme, at the Government House in Benin City. While commending members of the committee for a job well done, Obaseki said an Equity Trust Fund would be set up to raise funds that will take care of the health needs of vulnerable persons under the State Health Insurance Scheme. “We will emphasise care for the weakest in the society by creating a structure that will attract the necessary resources to support the sustainability of the Equity Fund,” he said.
The governor said people with the right competence and skills would be selected to ensure the implementation of the Health Insurance Scheme in the state, noting “We are going to search all over the world to get the right people to implement this scheme because of the importance we place on health insurance.”
Obaseki noted that the revamp of 20 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the state has restored the confidence of residents on the ease of accessing quality and affordable healthcare services in public healthcare centres. He added that the Ward Development Committees would be mobilised by the state government to sensitize people at the grassroots to embrace the Health Insurance Scheme.
Earlier, Chairman, Committee for the Establishment of Edo Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. Mustapha Danesi, said the work plan developed by the committee would guide the state in establishing a world-class Health Insurance Scheme, adding that a unique feature of the scheme is that it would be guided with the principles of corporate governance.
Prof. Danesi urged for grassroots sensitisation and mobilisation to encourage people to key into the scheme, adding that a board of trustees should be set up for the Equity Trust Fund to allow for transparency.