Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) is set to begin the enrolment of civil servants in the state into its health insurance scheme.
This is as the agency said it has enrolled 80,000 subscribers in just one year of operation.
The Acting Executive Secretary of RIVCHPP, Dr. Vetty Rolegherighan Agala disclosed this on Tuesday when she led her management team on a courtesy visit to the State Head of Service, Dr George Nwaeke in his office in Port Harcourt.
According to Agala, out of the 80,000 enrollees, 37,000 have started accessing quality health care services across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
She said though the agency had already met with the Joint Negotiating Council of Nigeria Labour Congress in the state where they mutually agreed to enroll the civil servants, it was still needful for the agency to intimate the Head Service with the workings of RIVCHPP in line with the policies of the state Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, and the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh.
The Executive Secretary who explained that universal health coverage entails availing everyone access to quality health care services, lamented that civil servants in the state were yet to be part of this lofty programme envisioned to provide residents of the state quality health care services without financial burdens and strain at point of care.
Agala informed the HOS that RIVCHPP offered free medical surgeries to 50 Rivers residents in commemoration of the 50th birthday of the state governor. She urged the Head of Service to use his good office to advocate for civil servants and other appointees of government, who may not be civil servants, to join the health insurance scheme of RIVCHPP to help increase the Universal Health Coverage of the State and reduce morbidity and mortality in the state.
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Applauding the successes so far achieved by the agency, the RIVCHPP’s boss said the agency was making concerted efforts to enroll more people on its scheme in fulfilment of its mandate of ensuring that everyone that works and lives in Rivers State is able to access quality health care when they need it without suffering financial hardship.
Dr. Agala also used the medium to thank Governor Siminialayi Fubara and the Head of Service, for expanding the civil service with over 2000 health workers, which she noted had significantly enhanced health care delivery in the state, and for making the welfare of civil servants in the state topnotch .
In his remarks, the Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, who described RIVCHPP as one of the legacies of the government of Sir Siminialayi Fubara, urged the management team to always liase with their team to exhibit professionalism and discipline for the benefit of the enrollees.
The Head of Service reiterated that Governor Fubara places premium on the wellness of Rivers State people, urging RIVCHPP to ensure that in line with the desires of the Governor, Rivers people have unfettered access to good and affordable medical services.
Dr. Nwaeke made it clear that his office is always open to render with ease those services that are prescribed in the civil service law.
