Health Insurance: Ogun woos tertiary institutions staff, students
The Ogun State Government has said that enrolling students and staff of tertiary institutions on its health insurance scheme will grant them relief from the stress of paying-out-of-pocket to access quality healthcare both within and outside campus.
This was made known by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, during a stakeholders’ meeting with the members of staff and students of Crawford University, Igbesa in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government area of the state.
Few weeks ago, the Ogun State Health Insurance Agency and Ministry of Education, Science and Technology formally had the maiden stakeholders meeting with the management and students affairs units of various schools of higher learning in the state on Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP) initiative.
Coker described the Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP) of the present administration covers both medical and surgical health needs of staff and students on and off campus without financial difficulties, pointing out that the initiative would enhance the development of health facilities in each institution.
She noted that Nigeria as a country has signed-up with the rest of the world on the importance of achieving universal health coverage, saying the situation of becoming impoverished in a bid to accessing healthcare should be avoided by all and sundry.
According to her, the Prince Dapo Abiodun led government in Ogun State has shown commitment to improve the health of residents by renovating and equipping health facilities as well as recruiting medical personnel.
“TISHIP requires a pool of contributors who pay monthly premium to meet the need of whoever falls sick among them.
This has been the practice in the developed countries which we all envy.
“We look forward to a long-term collaboration with the management, staff and students of higher institutions so that we can together make our society a healthier place,” Coker said.
In his presentation, the Executive Secretary, Ogun State Health Insurance Agency (OGSHIA), Dr. Afolabi Dosumu, who said the World Health Organisation (WHO) described a situation where 40% of household income is spent on health as catastrophic health expenditure, affirmed that the TISHIP as a scheme would protect students and their families from financial hardship.
Speaking earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Reuben Kolo, who was represented by the University Registrar, Mr. Moses Itamar, appreciated the health team for considering Crawford University for such engagement, adding that the management will give it all it deserves to ensure things go on smoothly.
