Dominic Adewole ASABA

Delta State governor, Sheriff Oborevwori has read riot act to healthcare facilities and care-givers that are sabotaging the benefits of the state’s contributory health scheme.

The governor, who was displeased with the complaints from enrollees at the state’s Specialist and Central Hospitals in Asaba, Ughelli and Sapele, said sanctions await any erring medical personnel or designated health facility that is found guilty.

He charged pregnant women with children under 0-5 years that are residing in the state to raise the alarm in the face of being shortchanged for drugs, laboratory tests or scan.

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the state’s Contributory Health Commission, Olorogun Dr Isaac Akpoveta, who quoted Section 422 of the law establishing the scheme during interface with the executives and Local Government Unit Leaders of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), led by Comrade Bolum Nwanchulwu, in Asaba yesterday said the 2.6 million enrollees under the scheme are not required to pay for covered services.

He said the interest of the enrollees has been protected with e-capitation / electronic smile encounter submission to curb what he tagged ‘Calendar Fraud’, adoption of bundle payment services, payment for covered services, upward review of capitation rates, and submission of bills not provided.

And other interventions such as, indigent enrollee adoption initiative, deadline for submission of bills, quarterly review meetings, submission of capitation utilisation report, confirmation of specific services, provision of blood/oxygen, creation of health insurance units and in-patient stay/admission, review of health equity plan.

He urged any enrollee, who has been compelled by any designated healthcare facility to pay for laboratory test, scan and medication to furnish the state government with evidence.

He said Governor Oborevwori dedicated .5 per cent of the yearly budget of the state to free maternal healthcare services for pregnant women and children under five years.

He said: “Under the operating guidelines of the commission, you are not required to pay for medication.

“You must not be shortchanged by service providers. If you go to any of our designated facilities and ask you to pay for BP drugs, raise the alarm.

“Don’t pay for unprovided, uploaded services; any saboteur is expected to pay a fine of N100,000.”

Bolum, who said the civil servants are the ‘pillars of the scheme’, hailed the governor for appointing Akpoveta to manage the scheme, making health issues top priority and acquainting enrollees with vital information against saboteurs.