The Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Health has threatened to sanction erring health institutions and practitioners sabotaging the Health Insurance Scheme, HIS and other related health programmes of the state government.
The resolution was reached when the Committee with Hon Austin Uroye as chairman played host to some government establishments under the supervision of the State Ministry of Health during the ongoing 2022 Budget Defense by Ministries, Department and Agencies in the state.
Some of the establishments under the Ministry of Health that appeared before the Committee for their various Budget Defence include the State Action Committee on Aids, SACA, Delta State Drug Revolving Fund Agency, Delta State College of Health Technology, Ufuoma-Ughelli, School of Nursing and Midwifery and the State Health Insurance Scheme.
While others had seamless defence before the Committee, the situation was not the same with the State Health Insurance Scheme, where alleged official irregularities in the scheme were thrown open by members.
The Chairman of the Assembly Committee, Hon Austin Uroye and a member of the Committee, Emeka Nwaobi, particularly frowned at the unfortunate reports where beneficiaries whose money were being deducted on monthly basis will go to the Hospital and after prescription, the patients would be denied drugs under the pretence that such drugs were not available.
Relying strongly on its statutory obligation of oversight functions, the Lawmakers said the committee will henceforth ensure regular monitoring of the various health institutions where the HIS programme is being implemented across the state, stressing that there must be a stop to the worrisome situation.
The Committee, however, directed the State Commissioner for Health, to schedule a meeting between members of the Assembly Committee with officials of the Health Insurance Scheme and stakeholders and all the various agencies within the State Ministry of Health and other stakeholders
Speaking, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon Austin Uruoye said the Committee will not allow any government officials to toil with the lives of the people, saying that what is happening in some of the health institutions is appalling and should be checked.
Hon Uroye promised that henceforth the Committee would scale up its oversight activities, stressing that the issue of regular monitoring and supervision must be taken seriously so that Deltans will continue to benefit from the laudable schemes and programs of the State government.
Pointing out that the State Government is doing its best in terms of good budgetary allocations to the health sector, the Lawmaker stated that the effort was to ensure that citizens get the best in terms of health needs, noting that it was unfortunate that some operators in the health institutions are not helping matters.
He emphasized that the sad narratives should not be allowed to continue as punitive measures must be initiated to ensure that those misconducts do not exist longer than now in the health institutions.
For his part, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mordi Ononye, who apparently expressed his disappointment on the alleged irregularities in the health insurance scheme, said there was the need for attitudinal change among operators particularly those in the State Civil service.
He said it is unfortunate that despite all that the State Government is doing to enhance the status of health institutions in the state, some persons are bent on sabotaging the efforts of the government.
The Health Commissioner assured the Committee that the leadership of the Ministry is working assiduously towards improving the State Health sector, particularly the primary health institutions.
