Kogi Government on Wednesday said it had established health insurance agency as part of its commitment to providing quality and affordable healthcare for its citizens.
The Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr Kunle Aledare, said this during a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, in Lokoja.
Aledare noted that he led the management of the agency on a familiarisation visit to the information and communication ministry as part of the critical stakeholders in furtherance to the commencement of enrolment of beneficiaries.
”We are paying courtesy visit to our stakeholders before we commence enrolment,” he said.
He, therefore, solicited for the ministry’s support in the area of sensitisation on the health insurance scheme at the grassroots.
Responding, the commissioner described the health insurance as a laudable programme, saying, ”healthcare delivery is one of set goals and thematic areas of governor Bello’s administration”.
Fanwo noted that the government has the responsibility to take the chunk of the health liabilities of the people.
“Healthcare delivery is one of the cardinal goals we set to achieve and one of the thematic areas.
“People must have access to quality and affordable healthcare.
“Government has the responsibility of taking the chunk of health liabilities of the people and that is the manadate of the agency,” Fanwo said.
The Commissioner said the state government would continue to give priority attention to healthcare, noting that a larger percentage of the year 2020 Budget had been allocated to the health sector.
Fanwo commended the leadership of the new agency, saying government had no doubt in their capability at providing ever ready services to justify their given mandate.
While promising adequate sensitisation of the programme through the state owned media, the commissioner encouraged the citizens to key into the health insurance scheme and reap of its benefits.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Peter Stephen, urged the management of the agency to collaborate with ministry for greater success. (NAN)