The Ogun state government has launched a health insurance scheme designed for the formal sector, comprising civil servants, public servants and workers in the organised private sector, as part of activities lined up for the 2024 Public Service Week.
The state governor, Dapo Abiodun, had launched the scheme for the informal sector in February 2022, allowing artisans, market women, traders, and other residents making a living through non-organised environments to benefit.
Abiodun, during the official launch of the scheme at Obas Complex, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, stated that his government would pay 50% of the premium for every worker registered in the scheme.
Represented by his deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, the governor said it is in the interest of the present administration to ensure the well-being and welfare of public servants who are the engine room of the government.
The governor added that the theme of the 2024 Civil Service Week, “Building a Socially Responsive Public Service in the 21st Century: A Place of Ethics and Values,” resonates deeply with the aspirations and ideals that the present administration has for the public service.
“I hereby reassure all public servants that their well-being will remain a priority in the government’s development agenda, as demonstrated in our payment of a N100 million counterpart fund, which has granted the state access to the federal government’s Basic Health Care Provision Fund since February 2020; the launch of the Informal Sector of OGSHIS in 2020; and the provision of a N100 million take-off grant for the Ogun State Health Insurance Agency in November 2020.
“Also, as part of palliative support in the health sector earlier in the year, we released N310 million as an equity fund to provide health insurance access to low-income residents of the state, part of which facilitated free surgeries for over a thousand residents. Additionally, we have released the sum of N324 million to support 3,300 pregnant women in the state for free under the scheme tagged Ibidero. This includes covering their antenatal and postnatal care, as well as providing a 5,000 naira token after delivery,” he said.
Abiodun emphasized that the success of the scheme is a collective effort, requiring close collaboration with health officials and stakeholders to ensure the system is effectively implemented, well-monitored, and continuously improved.
In her remarks, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coke, noted that since close to 80% of Nigerians pay out-of-pocket for healthcare, the majority of citizens are prone to the dire consequences of catastrophic health expenditures.
She encouraged residents of the state to take advantage of both the informal and formal sector schemes, adding that the programs serve as financial risk protection against undue health expenses that could plunge individuals into extreme poverty.
“I am delighted that Governor Dapo Abiodun, whose prioritisation of health has demonstrably led to improvements in our health systems, is launching this scheme today. This is no longer just a plan. So, rest assured, this scheme is here and here to stay,” she said.