1m patronise Kwara’s community health insurance scheme

One million people have so far patronised the community Health Insurance Scheme, a subsidised health programme for rural dwellers floated by the Kwara state government in 2007.
The figure surpassed the total number of 80,000 enrolees so far recorded under the scheme across the state.
Governor Abdulfah Ahmed said this yesterday during the commissioning of General Hospital, Share, and the launch of Community Health Insurance Scheme.
He said: “Presently, about 80,000 people, majority of them women and children, have subscribed to the programme in all three senatorial districts of the state.
“Furthermore, 15 clinics and hospitals, all of which have been upgraded to acceptable standards, are participating in the programme.
“In terms of patronage, we have recorded one million visits to the clinics and hospitals since the beginning of the program seven years ago.”
According to him, “the scheme aims to scale-up to 600,000 low-income enrolees in rural communities by 2018, with the premium subsidy entirely paid by the Kwara state government.”
He said “in the coming weeks, more of the remodelled five general hospitals would be commissioned,” and the equipment had been procured while additional consultants and medical personnel had been recruited.