STUDY TOUR: OYSHIA HOSTS ARMED FORCES COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE JAJI, IN IBADAN

The Oyo state Health insurance Agency recently played host to the representatives of Senior officers from the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji on ” Nigeria Study Tour 21”. As part of the curriculum for the senior course of the commanding staff college, the institution organized a study tour to Oyo State as one of the selected states across the country. During this visit, students from senior course 44 were tasked to conduct research in certain areas of socio-economic, cultural, and security concerns in selected states.

While receiving the team led by Colonel M. Isah, the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency (OYSHIA) headed by the Executive Secretary Dr. Sola Akande welcomed the participants and gave a lecture titled “Enhancing National Security through Socio-Economic Development at the House of Chiefs and achievements of the agency.

At the lecture, the Executive Secretary talked about the interconnectivity between health, security, and socio-economic development.  He opined that health is the fulcrum that holds security and socio-economic development and he proffered ‘Health Insurance’ as the solution to bridge the gap between security and socio-economic development.

He further highlighted all the scheme has been able to do for the residents of Oyo State since its inception ranging from getting civil servants on board the scheme to a part of the informal sector who have gained immensely from the benefits inherent in the scheme. He further reiterated that the scheme has carried out more than 300 surgeries of varying degrees on those that have subscribed to the scheme.

He, however accentuated some strategies which have propelled the Agency to the zenith it currently enjoys. These strategies include:

• Deployment of robust ICT to mitigate corruption and encourage transparency
• Upgrade and renovation of Primary Healthcare Centers to encourage patronage of the centers by enrollees especially Civil Servants.
• Employment of qualified doctors who would sit in the facilities to grant access to enrollees

In conclusion, Dr Sola AKande reeled out all other measurable achievements of the Agency as well as answered questions being asked by the students.