Rivers Urges Civil Servants, Student Associations To key Into Health Insurance Scheme

The Acting Executive Secretary of Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr. Vetty Agala, has called on Civil Service and student associations to develop programmes that improve their welfare, particularly in the area of healthcare.

Dr. Agala emphasized that Governor Siminialayi Fubara’s administration has introduced the contributory health insurance scheme to reduce the financial burden on residents, including students.

She said scheme is a pocket-friendly health insurance scheme for all categories of persons in the state.

Dr. Agala emphasized that the scheme is not entirely free, but its affordability makes it accessible to everyone, regardless of their state of origin. She highlighted two packages, Civil Servants: 5% of basic salary and Self-Employed (Sim jara package): N15,000 annually.

Both packages offer similar quality healthcare services, ensuring that everyone can access medical care without financial burden.

She explained that students in tertiary institutions can access healthcare services when needed, in addition to paying their fees.

During an advocacy visit to Rivers State Television, Dr. Agala urged civil servants to embrace the government’s programs, highlighting the administration’s prioritization of healthcare.

She noted that the contributory health insurance scheme enables certain categories of people to access healthcare services without paying out-of-pocket expenses.

The RIVCHPP aims to increase awareness and encourage participation in the contributory health insurance scheme, ensuring that residents, including students, benefit from the government’s healthcare initiatives.

This move, she add, demonstrates government’s commitment to improving the welfare of its citizens, particularly in the areas of healthcare and education. By engaging student associations and civil servants, the government seeks to promote a culture of healthcare accessibility and affordability.

She admonished the students to remain committed to their studies and begin to imbibe the ethics of the profession they are training into, assuring them that the agency will take up some of their concerns with the management of their institution.

Earlier in his speech, the leader of the students’ body, Ekeh Fortune, said that they are in the agency to congratulate the Acting Executive Secretary on her appointment and on how well she is piloting the affairs of the agency in ensuring that vulnerable people in the State access free but quality health care, pleading that students should be enrolled and assigned to health facilities not far from their various hostels to save them the burden of paying too much as transport fares to access health care.

Mr. Ekeh also said that they are in the office to familiarise themselves with the workings of the agency, to discuss on students health issues and on how they can also benefit from the health insurance programme, even as they solicit support for the association’s project as the tenure of the current Executive of the association is about to elapse, pledging to partner the agency in any way possible towards achieving the core mandate of the agency