Ondo intensifies efforts towards UHC, drafts bill on State Health Insurance Agency

•Begins implementation of law on confidential enquiry into maternal death
•Sets up University of Medical Sciences to ensure adequate, qualitative human resource for healthcare

As part of efforts to ensure universal health coverage (UHC), Ondo State has began the process of establishing the Ondo State Health Insurance Agency (OSHIA), the government has started drafting a bill that would soon be forwarded to the Ministry of Justice.

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, at the State Council on Health, said that UHC is essential to ensure equitable distribution of health care services to Ondo State citizens and Nigerians at large.

He, however, said political commitment is an inalienable drive for achieving UHC across the world and Nigeria is of no exception.

Mimiko in a communiqué released at the end of the meeting reiterated the State’s commitment to invest in the health sector, just as this would go a long way in ensuring that the citizenry enjoy optimum health for maximum productivity.

Mimiko, while declaring open the State Council on Health meeting, held at the International Event Centre, ‘The Dome’, along Igbatoro Road, Akure, said: “Disclosing a bill on the State Health Insurance Agency is being drafted and would soon be forwarded to the Ministry of Justice. The development would assist in sustaining the health programmes of the present administration.

“The council on health meeting would give room to review the health sector reform and formulate policies for consolidation of health gains and development. The law on confidential Enquiry into maternal Death is already on ground likewise the Primary Healthcare Development Medical Sciences, among others.

“The establishment of the University of Medical Sciences would sustain some of the initiatives in the health sector and there should be collective effort of all and sundry as this would go a long way in achieving a common goal.”

State Health Commissioner, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, explained that the council on health meeting was aimed at showcasing some of the achievements recorded in the sector and equally produce a robust document for the system. He however, said that the meeting was a way of ensuring that key stakeholders in the health sector have input for documentation to further strengthen the system.

Also, an International expert on universal Health coverage and progressive Health financing from the Chatham House, United Kingdom, Mr. Robert Yates, said that Ondo State is already achieving universal health coverage by providing free healthcare services to pregnant women and children age zero to five.

He also emphasized quality of healthcare and financing as critical aspects of UHC, stressing that government at all levels must be involved in driving the policy to success.

The communiqué, among other things noted:
•The establishment of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, is a timely and strategic way of sustaining the modest health gains over the past seven years, particularly by ensuring adequate and qualitative human resource for healthcare.
•The Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths in Ondo State (CEMDOS) is a laudable initiative that has helped to unravel causes of maternal deaths and subsequently influenced policy decisions.
•Public financing of healthcare services delivery is a socio-political tool that builds public trust between the government and the governed.
•Of the 27 memos forwarded to the Council, 22 were passed, five stepped down.

The Ondo State Council on Health resolved:
*The kidney Care Centre should be strengthened to be a resource and transplant center.
*Mother & Child hospitals should be expanded to provide postgraduate training in Paediatrics.
•Community Health Workers (CHEWs) and Community Health Organisations (CHOs) are employable in Ondo State in the Private Health sector
*The Government should increase the intake of Schools of Midwifery & Nursing to 100.
*No research in Ondo State must be conducted without approval from Research & Ethical committee.
*The State should devise a mechanism for safer blood transfusion by equipping one comprehensive health center and one secondary health center per Local Government Area (LGA).
*The School of Health tech should re-commence training of pharmacy technicians
*The Department of Pharmaceutical Services, Ministry of Health should coordinate procurement of drugs and ensure the use of TRUSCAN to ascertain drug quality.
•The state government should begin to consider social health insurance and mandatory tax payment by citizens in order to ensure sustainability of healthcare funding.
•The outstanding nine LGAs still on Decentralized Facility Financing (DFF) should be urgently moved to the Performance-Based Financing (PBF) for maximum benefits.