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From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
In its desire to provide access to healthcare services for all residents, irrespective of socio-economic status or geographical location, Delta State Government has taken its health insurance scheme to flood victims in the 12 internally displaced persons (IDP) camps across the state.
This followed the enrollment of the flood victims at the IDP camps into the Delta State Contributory Health Scheme (DSCHS), a healthcare financing programme of the state government.
Over 25,000 victims, who registered at the camps, are expected to be enrolled into the scheme, which already has 1.2 million enrollees, with 500 health facilities accredited to provide healthcare under the scheme.
Unlike other enrollees, the flood victims would not pay the premium N7,000 per annum under the health insurance scheme, as the state government would shoulder the bill, according to the director-general of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission, Dr. Ben Nkechika.
Nkechika, who kicked off the exercise alongside the Commissioner for Information at the Onneh Camp in Asaba, said the flood victims would be accessing healthcare services free of charge for one year, even after leaving the camp.
He said their ability to make equity contribution has seriously been hampered because their means of livelihood had been eroded by the floods.
Nkechika said: “We are currently faced with a situation where some people have been displaced as a result of the flood and they are largely going to have economic challenges, which affected their ability to have quality healthcare.
“They have lived in very rural communities and we are registering them into the scheme through an electronic process for the family tree, that is, father, mother and children.
“We issue them with identity card and with that they are able to refer them from an IDP camp to any of the public or private health care facilities for more care beyond what the camp can provide.
“The premium would be paid for by the state government and it means they would be attended to free of charge. Even when they leave the camp, they are going to their locations, they are obviously displaced, their condition is not going to immediately improve.
“They will be able to fend for themselves in terms of food, reconstruct their houses, but they will not be able to provide healthcare service until they significantly improve, economically.
“So, this programme will cover them until they are back; they can continue to use this access to healthcare still free of charge for one year. We are working on a mechanism where this can continuously be renewed for them until they are can fend for themselves.
“At this stage, government pays their health insurance premium and they get access to healthcare at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels, and it covers a wide spectrum of medical conditions.”
He said the enrollment exercise was taking place simultaneously across the IDP camps in the state, adding that, with ICT-enabled registration process, the enrollees are immediately issued ID cards with which to access accredited health facilities.
He disclosed that the state gets funding support from the Federal Government under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, which “we add to our equity health plan to provide free healthcare services to all vulnerable people in Delta State.”
Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, said the state government was not only concerned about the welfare of the flood victims but also about how the can live a healthy life.
Aniagwu said: “If you will recall, our governor had visited the victims at the various IDPs camps to present relief materials, and equally encouraged corporate bodies and well-meaning individuals to do the same.
“But the governor believes that man does not live by bread alone, that is, having food and where to lay your head, and by the time they leave this camp, it is possible for them to take care of their healthcare needs.
“When they get back, there will face challenges. Government may not begin to rebuild their homes. Government will not be in a position to do a number of things for them.
“But Okowa has said health is wealth; there is need to be healthy for them to begin to engage in other things to enable them get back and integrate back into their society.”
Coordinator of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Karo Gabriel Ovemeso, lauded the initiative, saying the flood victims were excited to be given the opportunity to have access to free healthcare services.
Ovemeso disclosed that over 20,000 victims were being accommodate in the eight camps set up by the state government, adding that three other camps were set up by the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).
The 12th camp, it was gathered, was provided by Julius Berger at the foot of the Second Niger Bridge.
Ovemeso, however, urged officials of the contributory health commission to fashion out ways of reaching out to flood victims who did not show up at the camps, and capture them in the scheme.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke, including Mrs. Esther Clement and Mrs. Jennifer John, commended the state government for the gesture.
