Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba has flagged-off the Contributory Social Health Insurance Scheme to improve the healthbeing of the people of the state.
Our Correspondent, reports that the flag-off took place in Jalingo on Thursday, the capital city of the state.
Speaking at the occasion, Ishaku called on the people of the state to register enmass in the Scheme to enable them have unfettered access to medical treatment.
The Governor told the gathering that his passion for the health insurance Scheme was fuelled by his visit last year to Rwanda.
According to him, what he saw was an excellent health insurance scheme which required the people to pay only a token in order to enjoy a wide range of healthcare facilities.
He expressed satisfaction that his passion for the scheme and determination to have it replicated in the state has eventually materialised.
Ishaku directed the management of the the Agency to initiate steps to ensure that the poor and the vulnerable have guaranteed access to the services of the Agency.
“We must ensure that the poor are not denied access to medical treatment under this scheme”, he said.
The governor, also announced the plan of his administration to ensure that every ward in the state has a standard health clinic, with a view to take healthcare down to the doorsteps of the ordinary people in the state.
Our Correspondent, gathered that it was also an occasion for the Governor to recount some of his notable achievements in the health sector.
He said, the administration has renovated three General Hospitals in the state, one of which has already been commissioned.
He noted that, the renovated hospitals have greatly enhanced access and qualify of medical services available to the people of the state.
Governor Darius Ishaku, further used the occasion to remind the people of the state that Covid-19 pandemic was still around and urged them to continue to observe the protocols for preventing its spread.
He however, stated that Taraba State was lucky to be among the states with the lowest cases of the infection and called for vigilance among the people.
Earlier in an address, state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Innocent Vakkai, said the establishment of the Contributory Health Insurance Agency has come as one of the numerous visionary programmes embarked upon by the Darius Ishaku’s administration.
Vakkai, expressed happiness that despite the delay in midwifing, the agency due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the scheme had eventually materialised and urged the people of the state to take advantage of the scheme to maintain good health.
