DELTA State’s Contributory Health Scheme appears to have yielded the desired result in line with its original intentions, considering the number of enrollees recorded into the scheme in the past one year.
The scheme, under a new leadership, with erudite medics, Dr. Isaac Akpoveta has taken bold steps to expand the base of the programme, aim at ensuring that a significant percentage of Deltans and residents of the state enrolled in the scheme, which had a modest 300,000 registered enrollees in 2018, to such an incredible figure of over 2million enrollees at the moment.
Plans to spread the services of DSCHC have opened more units as the Indigent Enrollee Adoption Initiative, Artisans Enrollee Inducement Initiative and Tertiary Institution Social Health Insurance Programme to cover more persons, especially artisans and students.
It could be recalled that the Delta State Contributory Health Scheme (DSCHS), under the supervision of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission (DSCHC), was created by the former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa on 4th February, 2016, so that all residents of the state will have access to affordable and quality healthcare.
Beyond the existential responsibility of the scheme, there is the need to remove the veil from the eyes of laymen who may naturally not understand how the agency works; it is however, instructive to note that the primary goal is to have a healthcare service financing system that ensures that any resident of Delta State, irrespective of socio-economic status or geographical location, is able to visit a healthcare facility when in need of quality services.
Like a mustard seed, the implementation of the scheme which originally commenced on January 1, 2017, after start-off mechanisms were put in place despite the start-off financial challenges due to the sharp drop in the state revenue from the falling oil price at that time is cruising gradually towards a higher plane of success as the new helmsman at the driver’s seat appears focused and unrelenting in the pursuit of excellence.
Primarily focused mainly on preventive and curative services derived from the Baseline assessment survey carried out at the beginning of the programme, which was done to determine key household demography, health seeking behaviour, coverage needs and willingness to pay premiums to ensure that no one is left behind, truly indicated that the scheme kicked off on altruistic pedestal.
For a special health programme that had rather relieved Deltans and residents alike, from the depth of burden in terms of healthcare services amidst turbulent economic situation in the country, one cannot but thump up for the initiator of such a laudable scheme as well the current administration under the dynamic leadership of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori for staying the course, realizing the imperative of good health in the socio-economic development of his people.
As effort to gain the more confidence of prospective enrollees gathers greater momentum, taking cognizance of the scheme’s framework as enunciated in the Act establishing it, we are apparently moved by the exponential response and enthusiasm shown so far, which could be described as a significant milestone for a programme that is barely eight years old
Basically while the supposed benefits of the scheme seem more, the agency essentially would also increase its revenue base; a development that would help in procuring standard equipment and other deliverable geared towards ensuring greater operational efficiency at the end.
Much as the management of the scheme bask in the euphoria of this commendable feat, they should equally not lose sight of the fact there is much to be done in that stead; rather they should up their ante by establishing baseline for Health Management Organisations (HMO) in areas of coverage, drugs administration and patients’ relationship
Furthermore, from the aggregation of experiences within this period, there is the need for DSCHC to take a cue from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in order to reduce the number of complaints from diverse enrollees in the state.
In all of this, we must commend the management of DSCHC, led by the current Director-General, Dr. Isaac Akpoveta for their relentless efforts to increase the enrolment figure, while also advocating the adoption of strategic measures and greater collaboration with the Ministry of Health with a view to ensuring effective democratization of health services in the state.
Doing so, it is absolutely necessary that each community should be provided with a primary healthcare centre (PHC) and much the same way, increase the quality of drugs supplied to such facilities by shunning the inclination to hook up with low base drugs usually imported from China and India.
