BY UWAILA OMORODION
The Edo State Health Insurance Commission (EDOHIC) has revealed that over 276,300 residents have benefitted from its health insurance services since 2022, marking a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to expand access to quality healthcare.
Director of Health Services and Standards at EDOHIC, Dr. Osayuki Edosa-Iyayi, disclosed the figures during a one-day statewide training for healthcare providers held in Benin City.
The training was simultaneously streamed to healthcare providers gathered in Ekpoma and Auchi to ensure participation from Edo Central and Edo North senatorial districts.
Providing further details, Dr. Edosa-Iyayi stated that the commission has facilitated 1,011 surgeries since 2023 and recorded 474 childbirths since 2021 across the three senatorial districts, underscoring the impact of the state’s health insurance scheme on improving maternal and surgical care.
“These achievements reflect the commitment of Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration to the SHINE agenda, which prioritises improved access to healthcare, infrastructure development, and capacity building,” he said.
Earlier, Director General of EDOHIC, Dr. Augusta Ikpea-Enaholo, in her keynote address, urged healthcare providers to adhere strictly to ethical standards and the commission’s revised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
She emphasised the need for patient-centred care and warned against denying enrollees emergency treatment due to administrative or payment issues, reiterating the administration’s resolve to protect patient rights.
The training featured interactive sessions on the state’s strategic healthcare direction, review of benefit packages, efficient claims processing, emergency response protocols, and effective communication, all designed to strengthen providers’ capacity to deliver quality services in line with global best practices.
Participants described the training as timely and impactful, pledging to apply the new guidelines to enhance care delivery and support the state government’s reforms.
