How To Make Health Insurance Effective – Stakeholders

Participants of a two-day workshop on mainstreaming health policies and programmes into law making have advocated the need to remove all grey areas in the planned Health Insurance Policy Scheme yet to be passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The participants made up of lawmakers, industry experts and stakeholders made their views last weekend as the two-day workshop ended in Port Harcourt.
Member representing Gokana State Constituency, Dr Innocent Barikor harped on the need for transparency in pooling of resources.
Barikor averred that mechnanisms should be put in place to reduce risk of pooling funds, such that the public would have confidence in the scheme.
Also speaking, Hon Bariene Dayah respresenting Khana 1 Constituency sought for guidelines to protect the new Health Insurance Agency.
Deyah argued that without adequate guideline, the proposed Health Insurance Agency might derail or be grounded in the future.
For his part, Hon Michael Okechukwu Chinda of Obio/Akpor Constituency ll said though the lawmakers would want to approve any bill that would enhance the well being of their constituents, it was proper for them to be educated on the challenges involved.
Hon Chinda said, “We are for the health of the vulnerable and that is why the bill will improve health care delivery in Rivers State”.