Kwara Governor commits N200m to new Health Insurance Agency

The Kwara State Government has committed an initial N200 million take-off grant for the new Kwara State Health Insurance Agency Law.

The State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, made this known when he signed the bill into law at the Government House, Ilorin on Tuesday, November 14, 2017.

Governor Ahmed said the establishment of the Kwara State Health Insurance Agency is part of the State Government's commitment to Human Capital Development, which he noted has quality health care service and functional education as main components.

He disclosed that the Agency is saddled with the provision of qualitative, affordable and accessible health care delivery for all categories of people in Kwara.

He added that apart from the N200 million grant from the state government, the scheme will be funded with one percent of the state's consolidated revenue fund, grants from donor agencies like the World Bank and PharmAccess, premium to be paid by beneficiaries and other funds that may accrue to the Agency from time to time.

Alhaji Ahmed said that the insurance bill will build on the existing Community Health Insurance Scheme which covers 10 local government areas of the state to provide a state-wide health care service and will cater for separate categories of Kwarans and residents based on means testing.

He, therefore, expressed optimism that the agency will outlive the present administration and will be sustainably used to develop health care service in the state beyond existing levels.

Addressing journalists after the brief ceremony, a member of the Implementation Committee, Dr Bunmi Jatawo Winters, said the committee would stage an advocacy week before the scheme takes off, during which the committee members will sensitise the public about the operations of the scheme.