Ministry Inaugurates Technical Committee On Health Insurance

Rivers State  Commis
sioner for Health, Dr Theophilus Odagme has inaugurated the technical committee that will draft the State Health Insurance Scheme.
Inaugurating the committee in Port Harcourt, recently, Dr Odagme, appealed to members of the committee to come up with a document that would suit the unique nature of the state.
He noted that the state government needed to make a paradigm shift from the unrealistic free medical programme, considering the current economic reality in the country, and state in particular.
While congratulating members of the committee on their appointment, Dr Odagme promised to provide them with the needed tools to accomplish their task.
Responding on behalf of the technical committee, the chairman, Dr Opubo Idoniboyeobu, who is also the Director, Planning Research and Statistics of the ministry, expressed gratitude to the commissioner and management for finding them worthy to carry out the task of preparing a document for the State Health Insurance Scheme and promised that they will deliver on their mandate on record time.
The committee was given a mandate of three weeks to examine the existing National  Health Insurance documents and acts, reports/documents from states that had implemented the scheme.
The committee is to also prepare a draft document and nomenclature for the implementation of Health Insurance Scheme in Rivers State and come up with the roles the free medical care programme office of the ministry of health will play in the new scheme.
Other members of the committee are Dr Anikara Atamunotoru, Dr Bright Ogbonda, Dr Okey Ibeabuchi, Mr Ebiokolo Williams and Barr Dornu Barida Nwinang while Dr Vetty Agala will serve as secretary.
Present during the inauguration were the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs Caroline Wali, and Permanent Secretary, Free Medical Care Programme, Mrs Cordelia Peterside.

Sogbeba Dokubo