The Ondo state government’s Mother and Child Health Scheme, known as “Abiyamo,” is intended for pregnant women and children under five. Governor Rotimi Akeredolu stated on Monday that more than 25,000 individuals have benefited from the programme in two years.
It was announced by Abiodun Oyeneyin, director general of the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission, in an interview with reporters in Akure. He explained that the state government instituted the programme to save lives.
According to Oyeneyin, health is a global issue and a crucial indication of human development and a fundamental human right.
He reaffirmed the current administration’s dedication to reforming the state’s healthcare system, noting, in particular, the need to develop a long-term funding structure to reduce citizens’ out-of-pocket healthcare costs.
To accomplish Universal Health Coverage, he said, the State Contributory Health Commission was set up as an institution that coordinates, oversees, and controls all Health Insurance to ensure people in the state are well and free from disease (UHC).
Oyeneyin stated, “by providing budgetary provision for the vulnerable groups in our midst, starting with the pregnant women and for children under age five, the government made funds annually available for their premium such that all pregnant women and children under the age of five enrolled under the ‘Abiyamo’ maternal scheme.
As a result, there is no cost associated with medical attention at any of the specialised facilities for mothers and infants in any of the three senatorial districts. Since the governor officially launched the programme on December 3, 2019, we have helped over 25,000 people.
To ensure that citizens in all three senatorial districts have easy access to this service, “approved hospitals were picked across the three senatorial zones.”
He mentioned, “In the Central Senatorial zone, we have Mother and Child hospital in Akure and the UNIMED Teaching Hospital, Ondo town, and Akure complexes. This is all to serve the people of the state better.”
“In the Northern senatorial zone, we have a general hospital and specialist hospital in Ikare-Akoko. While in the Southern senatorial district, we have a general hospital in Ore, a state hospital in Okitipupa, and one in Igbokoda, and that is what we have been doing.
“It is an improvement on what we used to have during the previous administration, which was called ‘Abiye’ and if you remember, at that time, only two hospitals, so people needed to travel from long distances before they could come to Mother and Child hospital in Akure and Ondo town.
“But the governor, in his wisdom, said we need to take health services closer to the people. The governor also made it very easy for pregnant women by providing ‘Card Igbeayo’, free of charge, and they will not pay any amount under the scheme.”
As part of Akeredolu’s administration’s dedication to providing a high-quality, easily accessible healthcare system to all state residents, he revealed that a new “Orange Health Insurance Scheme” had been developed lately for state employees.
“The governor flagged off this on September 27 2022, and this is to cater to all public servants because the governor is very mindful of the welfare of workers in Ondo state; he wants them to be productive and healthy so that they will be useful for the state and themselves.
“For government workers, we offered them a family plan, so if you’re a government worker that earns about 60,000 in a month, you’re going to contribute less than N1000 per month, which will be deducted from the salary.
“This will cover the principal, the spouse, and four biological children under age 18, so if you look at the total number of public servants, we are looking at least 120,000 people accumulatively.
“For the formal sector, we had a meeting with artisan groups, and they have close to 400,000 people that they want to bring on board, and we have market women across all the 18 local government areas. We are going to partner with them because they have a database that is already automated.”