Ogun State Government has launched its health insurance scheme designed for the formal sector, comprising Public and Civil Servants, and workers in the organised private sector.
Governor Dapo Abiodun had earlier launched the scheme for the informal sector, which included artisans, market women, traders, and others in February 2022.
Governor Abiodun, while speaking during the official launch of the scheme at the Obas’ Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, as part of the lined up activities to commemorate the 2024 Public Service Day Celebration, disclosed that the state government would pay 50 percent of the premium for every worker registered on the scheme.
Abiodun, represented by his deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said the move was in the interest of the present administration, to ensure the well-being and welfare of the workforce.
Speaking on the theme for the event, "Building a Socially Responsive Public Service in the 21st Century: A Place of Ethics and Values", the governor said the launch resonates deeply with the aspirations and ideals that the present administration has for the public service, noting that success of the scheme was a collective effort that require close collaboration with health officials and stakeholders, to ensure the system is effectively implemented, well-monitored, and continuously improved upon.
"I hereby reassure all public servants that their well-being will remain a priority in the government's development agenda, as demonstrated in our payment of N100 million counterpart fund, which has granted the state access to the Federal Government's Basic Health Care Provision Fund since February 2020, the launch of the Informal Sector of Ogun State Health Insurance Scheme (OGSHIS) in 2020, and the provision of N100 million take-off grant for the Ogun State Health Insurance Agency in November 2020’’, he said.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, said about 80 percent of Nigerians pay out-of-pocket for healthcare, while the majority of citizens were prone to the dire consequences of catastrophic health expenditures.
She encouraged residents to take advantage of both the informal and formal sector schemes, emphasising that the programmes serve as financial risk protection against undue health expenses that could plunge individuals into extreme poverty.
Also speaking, the Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, said good health was integral to the smooth and successful socio-economic endeavours of the people, underscoring the reality of the common maxim, "Health is Wealth".
He added that the current administration's passion for efficient healthcare was central to the improved productivity of the workforce, noting that the scheme would directly impact the wellness of workers and their relatives.
In his goodwill message, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ogun State Council, Comrade Hameed Benco-Ademola who described the Governor as worker-friendly and conscientious of the welfare of workers, commended him for subsidising the scheme for every registered worker, promising the union's support toward the success of the scheme.
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