Date: 2018-07-13

Courtesies

One of the cardinal responsibilities of governments all over the world is the provision of quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare to citizens. This is because the well-being of citizens determines, to a large extent, a country's economic growth and development. In the light of this, my administration has since inception prioritized policies and programmes that promote the health of Kwarans.

While priority attention has been directed at cross-sector infrastructural development, no less attention has been devoted to adopting global best practices, policies and programs that promote the well-being of citizens.

This commitment is evident in our government's upscaling of the Community Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS) initiated by the previous administration of His Excellency, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki but expanded by our administration. Today, we strengthen that commitment with the launch of the Kwara State Health Insurance Scheme. It is with great pleasure, therefore, that I welcome you all to this all-important and historical occasion.

Between 2007-2016, the Kwara State Government in collaboration with the Government of Netherlands (through the Dutch Health Insurance Fund and PharmAccess Foundation) and Hygeia Health Management Organization implemented CHIS which leveraged health insurance for healthcare delivery to the rural poor. Under the Kwara CHIS, we provided the policy framework for the scheme as well as part funding of the premium subsidy to the tune of N1.1b. The Dutch Government also funded the larger portion of the subsidies while the Hygeia HMO provided the administrative framework for the participation of both public and private healthcare providers.

By the end of 2016, Kwara CHIS had achieved the significant successes including the enrolment of 139,714 persons from low income rural areas in eleven Local Government Areas. In recognition of this laudable program, the Kwara State Government received several international recognitions such as OECD Finalist Award 2014; and "Saving Lives at Birth Award", 2014; among others.

Based on the urgent need to improve access to universal healthcare, it became necessary to expand CHIS which was considered narrow in scope due to its selective focus. The old scheme, therefore, had to be replaced with a wider-spread, comprehensive, better-funded and managed scheme. Consequently, I signed Kwara State Health Insurance Agency Bill into law in November 2017. The law sets up the Kwara Health Insurance Scheme, which makes contributory health insurance mandatory for all residents of Kwara State.

This law replaces the Community Health Insurance scheme and ensures universal health coverage to all citizens and residents of the state for a low annual premium.

Following today's launch of the Kwara State Health Insurance Scheme, all citizens and residents of Kwara State are expected to enroll on the program as required by the law establishing it. No more will citizens and residents of Kwara State be unable to access critical treatment because they cannot afford to pay hospital fees or buy prescribed drugs.

Thanks to its low, affordable premium and associated quality healthcare, the Kwara State Health Insurance Scheme takes us closer to our dream of universal healthcare for our people.

Specifically, the benefit packages of the health insurance scheme will reflect preventive, and curative components of health care delivery and will have minimum standards of care and service from participating health care facilities in the public and private sector.

In addition, the law also provides for the establishment of the Kwara Health Insurance Fund (KHIF).

KHIF will pool resources from various sources including premium contribution from residents, the State Government subsidy for the very poor, multi-lateral grants, donations, support from the Federal Government and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

In addition, and to ensure the scheme is well funded, an initial N200 Million has been set aside as the state's capitalization of the Kwara State Health Insurance Fund.

Also, we have committed to contributing 1% of the annual Consolidated Revenue Fund and to subsidize premiums and service delivery to those considered part of the poorest in the society.

Furthermore, we are boosting the Scheme with forty per cent of funds received through the "Saving One Million Lives Performance for Results Initiative"-an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Health, supported by the World Bank and targeted towards the improvement of maternal and child health in Nigeria. Let me at this juncture thank all stakeholders that have contributed towards bringing the Kwara State Health Insurance Scheme to fruition. I commend the Leadership and Honorable members of the Kwara State House of Assembly who accelerated the passage of Kwara State Health Insurance Bill into law. Equally noteworthy is the tremendous support of donor and philanthropic organizations, as well as governments such as The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PharmAccess Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation, USAID and partners of the Saving Lives At Birth Project, and SafeCare in partnering with the Kwara State Government to bring the scheme to fruition.

I have no doubt that this scheme is primed for success not only because it is guaranteed to be sustainable, well-funded and well managed, but also because it will leverage digital technology to promote efficiency, and transparency. I therefore urge all Kwarans and residents in the state to comply with the law, register for the Kwara State Insurance Health Scheme and take advantage of our various ongoing healthcare initiatives to access quality healthcare. I now have the pleasure of launching the Kwara State Health Insurance Scheme for the benefit of all citizens and residents of Kwara State.

Thank you and God Bless.

Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed

Executive Governor,

Kwara State

12th July, 2018