Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has launched Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), with a payment of N200m grant to the scheme, as part of its resolve to provide basic health care services to the people and vulnerable at no cost.

Governor Abiodun disclosed this in Abeokuta, saying the launch signifies the commencement of the Informal Sector Health Insurance Scheme, towards capturing the important sector in the social health safety net of the State.

Abiodun said the BHCPF is a Federal and State-funded initiative to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), with a target to provide basic health care services to pregnant women and children under-five, as well as the indigent people in the society.

"While our administration will continue to ensure that an affordable and sustainable health care delivery system is provided for residents in Ogun State, it is also imperative that we make it easily accessible to all our people. It is for this reason that we are gathered here today to launch the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), as an effective gateway to the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the formal take-off of Informal Sector Health Insurance Scheme towards improving the wellbeing, wellness, and welfare of the people”, he said.

The Governor, who appreciated the Federal Government for its social intervention programmes, expressed optimism that the scheme would serve as a cushion against any financial burden occasioned by out-of-pocket expenses on health care services.

Governor Abiodun assured that his administration would continue to collaborate with the Federal Government across all sectors and improve on the policy formulation and programme implementation, to sustain the Public-Private Partnership strategy, adding that relevant agencies in the health sector would continue to provide necessary skills and equipment for efficient service delivery.

On his part, the Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Olakunle Oluomo while appreciating the present administration for the initiative, said the House would make a law to criminalise diversion of the scheme's fund, advising the agency in charge to sensitise members of the public on the scheme, and encouraged political office holders to embrace it by paying for some of their constituents.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. Nasir Sambo, revealed that the Federal Government had disbursed over N28.7bn to States and the Federal Capital Territory that have fulfilled the requirements of accessing the funds.

Sambo explained that the National Health Insurance Scheme provides support to State agencies in terms of technical and operational issues, especially on training, technology, and programme development, to facilitate the attainment of UHC by the year 2030, saying the Federal Government was also developing a contemporary and comprehensive information technology project.

Speaking on behalf of traditional rulers, the Chairman, Ogun State Traditional Council of Obas, and the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, expressed happiness with the new development in the health sector, calling on the people to embrace the scheme, in order to access quality health care services.