Gov. Akeredolu Flags-off Distribution Of $5million Biomedical Equipment, As He Inaugurates Contributory Health Comm. Office Complex
Ondo State governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Monday,24th June , 2019, flagged - off the distribution of $5Million biomedical equipment and consumables.
The equipment were the ones secured by the Governor during his visit to the United State of America (USA) last year.
Arakunrin Akeredolu secured the new medical equipment from MedShare, a U.S.-based non-profit organisation in Atlanta to strengthen health care system in the state.
The Governor reiterated his commitment to make provision of quality and affordable healthcare service delivery the priority of his administration.
He said he will not renege on his administration's campaign promise to equitably distribute the state's resources for the benefit of all.
Akeredolu said that the multimillion Naira ultramodern and state-of-the-art biomedical equipment will be distributed across all the health facilities in the state.
He, however, asked the health professionals in the state to put the equipment to effective use.
According to the Governor : "On no account should they be kept in the stores where they are not needed.
"I also hope that this gesture will serve as motivator to all our health professionals whose job will be made easier through the use of these modern equipment."
He noted that his administration has employed some health professionals of various cadres to function in public hospitals in the state, adding that more health workers would still be employed.
One other intervention embarked upon by Governor Akeredolu in the health sector is the upgrade of health facilities in the state to provide quality services for children who are below age five and pregnant women.
Speaking earlier, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro, said the Akeredolu led admiration in the state has witnessed tremendous achievements in the health sector, noting that the distribution of the medical equipment and consumables is another ground breaking success under the leadership of Governor Akeredolu.
The health Commissioner urged the people of the state to continue to give support to the Governor so that more developmental programmes could be achieved.
Similarly, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health,Dr Jibayo Adeyeye, said the state Government has taken a bold step at solving the equipment challenge in the state's health sector.
He noted that the partnership with Medshare International in Atlanta, USA to supply twenty-two, 40ft containers valued at about $250,000 each.
Dr. Adeyeye said four of the the twenty-two containers worth $5 million have arrived, adding that while one has been has been offloaded, three were yet to be offloaded.
"The containers contain State of the art beds, ventilators, incubators, among others, which will change the manual ways of medical practice.
n the same vein, the Governor has inaugurated the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission Office Complex, marking the begging of heath insurance scheme which was passed by the Ondo State House of Assembly and signed into law last year by the Governor.
Speaking at the inauguration of the office complex in Alagbaka, Akure, the Ondo State capital, Governor Akeredolu said healthcare remains one of the human development indices of any nation and people must have access to affordable, accessible, acceptable, sustainable and qualitative healthcare.
He noted that quality and affordable healthcare services is inalienable right of the people, which he said is an evidence of human dignity.
The Governor added that Universal Health Coverage ( UHC ) is important to developed countries, which has achieved alot in playing down the role of out-of-pocket payments in the financial access to healthcare.
He, therefore, said his government has resolved to key into health insurance, which everyone would contribute little money to access quality and affordable healthcare when someone falls sick.
Governor Akeredolu said the Contributory Health Insurance will guarantee Universal Health Coverage, stressing that the government is determined to ensure that health benefit is for all by providing a platform where both the rich and the vulnerable could draw financial strength to cater for their challenges.
He stated that one of the conditions designed by the Federal Government for each of the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to access the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund ( BHCPF ) is the establishment of Health Insurance Agency and Scheme.
The state helmsman explained that the Federal Government has set aside 1% of Consolidated Revenue Fund as BHCPF, 50% of the fund would be disbursed to the Health Insurance Scheme of each state and FCT yearly, while 45% will go to the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency and the remaining 5% will be for Emergency Medical Treatment, adding that with the establishment of the state's health insurance commission and scheme, and payment of the required counterpart fund of One Hundred Million naira, Ondo State would benefit maximally from the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, which he said would go a long way at reducing cost of access quality healthcare services.
He went further that amount to be paid by each resident would be determined by their income, while the state government would take care that of the vulnerable in the society, the pregnant women and children under 5 years of age, stressing that the gesture was aimed at reducing to the barest minimum the financial barrier to access qualitative healthcare in the state.
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro, said the official inauguration of the office complex signal that the Contributory Health Scheme has began operation in Ondo State.
The Health Commissioner noted that with the insurance scheme, people of the state have an assuring means of unhindered access to quality healthcare delivery.
He went further that the scheme will be managed by the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission with Dr. Abiodun Oyeneyin as the General Manager who resumed duty on June 1st, 2019.
