Gov Aiyedatiwa: 4,265 Babies Born Under Ondo Abiyamo Health Insurance Scheme

Fidelis David in Akure

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, Thursday, said the state Abiyamo Maternal and Child Health Insurance Scheme (AMCHIS) has produced no fewer than 4,265 babies since its inception.

This is just as the governor announced government’s plan to construct a cancer healthcare center in the state.

Aiyedatiwa who said the scheme which was designed by his late principal and former governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, in 2022 for pregnant women and children under five years of age to prevent maternal mortality in the state stated the state government’s commitment to revitalising the state health sector.

He revealed this through the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Awolowo Banji Ajaka and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Prof. Simi Odimayo, in Akure the Ondo State capital, at a programme organized by the Commissioner for Information, Wale Akinlosotu, for state government officials to give stewardship of their offices.

Specifically, he said, over 4,265 babies, among which are 380 twins, 10 triplets and two quadruplets all delivered under the state equity scheme.

His words: “Implementation of Abiyamo Maternal and Child Insurance Scheme (Abiyamo Scheme) – fully funded by Ondo State Government where pregnant women and under-5 children are fully covered as vulnerable. Till date, Abiyamo scheme has recorded over 46,741 beneficiaries (pregnant women and children below 5 years of age).

“Total deliveries 4,265; twins 380; triplets 10; quadruplets two and all services are provided at no cost to the beneficiaries.”

On healthcare financing, Aiyedatiwa said the establishment of Ondo State Contributory Health Commission was aimed at ensuring Universal Health Coverage for citizens of Ondo State birthed 56,700 enrollees across 203 wards in 18 LGAs of the state.

He added: “Beneficiaries include widows, elderly, people with disabilities, the vulnerable women of reproductive age group and children under five.”
According to him, “till date, 101,017 enrollees (Public Servants and their dependents) are fully covered under the Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) for all public servants in the state. Over 460 surgeries have been performed in less than 2 years under ORANGHIS.”

Similarly, he stressed that two days ago, Governor Aiyedatiwa  flagged-off the Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) for the state’s informal sector and over 4,000 artisans, market women, farmers, commercial transport operators, and private sector workers across the State among others would benefit from the scheme.

He listed other achievements of the ministry to include: “Massive recruitment of health professionals across all levels of care: primary, secondary and tertiary; training of one hundred and twenty (120) health workers on new – and childhood illness management; training of 130 health workers in 2024 across 65 facilities in 18 LGAs on clinical and self-breast examination; training of primary healthcare workers on mental health and regular payment of health workers salaries.”

Also speaking, the Governor’s Special Adviser on Health, Prof Simi Odimayo stressed the achievement of the state in the health sector to include, “Regular payment of full hazard allowance for health workers; approval and commencement of new entry points of GL. 13 and 10 for doctors and nurses respectively as against GL 12 and 10 were the norm.

“This will attract most health professionals to the state and checkmate exodus of existing ones; approval and commencement of full CONMESS for doctors in the state and establishment of DHCMA with commencement of full operationalization in September, 2023-this aims at providing quality and affordable drugs to Ondo State residents.”

He also revealed that the ministry massively distributed free drugs and health commodities worth N100 million to secondary and tertiary health facilities/institutions across the State in March, 2023.

“Construction of surgical and medical wards at Mother and Child Hospital, Akure; Extension works for Pharmacy, Laboratory and HMIS department at General Hospital Igbokada, Ilaje LGA; renovation of Children ward, Isolation ward, and Female ward of General Hospital, Iwaro-oka. Akoko South West LGA; extension of Pharmacy, Laboratory and HMIS departments at General Hospital Bolorunduro, Ondo East LGA amongst others.”