Ogheneruona Tejiri, Asaba
Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Health has commended the Delta State Contributory Health Commission (DSCHC) for its giant strides in expanding health insurance coverage.
This commendation was made by Hon. Ferguson Onwo, Chairman, House Committee on Health when he led members of the Committee on an oversight functions/visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Asaba, he reaffirmed Committee’s resolve to strengthen the health sector through robust Legislative support.
According to a statement signed by Mrs. Pat Gbemudu, Public Relations Officer of the Commission, Hon. Onwo commended the management of the Commission for its achievements, innovations and sustained efforts to expand access to quality healthcare services for residents.
The statement added that Hon. Onwo explained that the visit was part of the constitutional responsibility of the Assembly to monitor government agencies and assess performance, stressing that it was not a witch-hunt.
According to Hon. Onwo, “this is not a witch-hunting exercise. We are here to evaluate the successes and challenges of the Commission, identify areas that require legislative intervention and see how, working with the Executive, we can further strengthen the health sector in Delta State.”
The lawmaker, who was accompanied by Hon. Perkins Umukoro, Hon. Emeka Osamuta, Hon. Bernard Odior and Hon. Matthew Omonade, said that the achievements of the Commission aligns with the health component of the M-O-R-E Agenda of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Governor of Delta State and urged the Commission to sustain advocacy and public enlightenment to drive more enrolment.
Earlier, Dr. Austin Obidi, Chairman, Delta State Contributory Health Commission (DSCHC) thanked the lawmakers for the visit, he described it as timely and constructive, he appealed for legislative support to address critical challenges, particularly operational vehicles and a permanent corporate headquarters, and called for stronger collaboration with corporate organizations to bring more Deltans into the scheme.
In his presentation, Dr. Isaac Akpoveta, Director-General of the Commission disclosed that nearly three million residents have been enrolled in the health insurance scheme.
Dr. Akpoveta also highlighted the Commission’s Information Communication Technology (ICT) advancements, he noted that digital innovations have enhanced operations, transparency, accountability and service delivery, adding that the workforce has been strengthened with over 200 new staff.
According to Dr. Akpoveta, “our focus is to ensure that technology, human resources and efficient processes work together to provide better services to our enrollees and strengthen accountability.”
The House Committee made a tour of departments and operational units of the Commission.
