The free maternal and under 5 programmes which started under Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan’s administration, has no database but was transitioned into the scheme when it commenced on 1st January 2017, under Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration.
According to the Director General (DG) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Ben Nkechika, the Scheme is now operational in 405 accredited healthcare facilities spread across the State.
It has 268 Primary Health Care Centers, 66 Secondary Health care Facilities, 65 Private Health Care Facilities, 1 Federal Medical Center, 3 Abuja Health Care Facilities and 2 Lagos Health Care Facilities, disclosing that the scheme currently has in its database, 788, 740 enrolees comprising 171, 123 principal and dependents members of the formal sector groups whose premium are paid based on deduction from the worker salary from payroll.
“Employers counterpart contribution on behalf of the worker and 5 family members as stipulated in the DSCHC Operational Guideline, 11, 456 members of the Informal Sector groups whose premium are paid based on N7, 000 per enrolee per year as stipulated in the DSCHC Operational Guideline and 606,161 (225,717 Pregnant Women and 380,444 Children Under 5 Years) members of the Equity Health plan Group whose Premium are paid for by the Delta State Government.
“Current effort is to continue to enhance the Informal Sector enrolee population especially in rural communities leveraging on the BHCPF program”, he said.
Dr. Nkechika, disclosed further that the Commission established 24 hours call center operated by call center operators for enquiries, complaints, feedback and other communication requirements for the scheme with a monitoring and evaluation team for review assessment of the scheme’s implementation across the state.
Hear him, “To improve on management of Diabetes and Hypertension, the DSCHC representing the Delta State Government signed an MOU with Servier Pharmaceutical of France for a program called the “Hospital Cash Cover Program” that will provide subsidized and discounted Antihypertensive and Diabetics Drugs for all enrolees of the Scheme.
“Train 200 medical service delivery personnel in Delta State on the latest treatment protocol in management of Hypertension and Diabetes, support the Delta state government through payment of premium for an agreed number of vulnerable people under the scheme and eventually produce Generic Drugs for use under the Scheme from Servier/SWIPHA manufacturing facility in Nigeria”.
While noting that the journey has been challenging, interesting and successful, he said: “We will continue in our effort towards ensuring every resident of Delta State has access to quality healthcare service without a serious cost consequence of receiving that healthcare service”.
