The Rivers State Government has ensured accessibility of health care through the launch of the enrollment process of members of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHIPP).
The enrollment process was launched recently at Rumuokoro in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (LGA) by the Executive Secretary of RIVCHIPP, Dr. Vetty Agala, who highlighted the efforts of Governor Siminalayi Fubara aimed at ensuring provision of high-quality affordable health care to residents and businesspeople in the state.
Dr. Vetty Agala noted that commercial drivers form a crucial part of the state’s economy since they transport people and goods regardless of their hazardous work environment. According to her, providing health insurance coverage for the transport sector will benefit the drivers and their families as well as minimize the financial burden of medical expenses.
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As Agala pointed out, RIVCHIPP was created with the aim of making healthcare accessible to all residents of the state, and hence, all members and their dependants receive medical services from accredited health care facilities free of prohibitive medical costs. The executive secretary of RIVCHIPP called upon union leaders to mobilize their members to undergo the enrollment process.
The executive secretary noted that Rumuokoro had been chosen for the flag-off because it is a major transport hub where many commercial drivers ply their trade on a daily basis, thus making it a good place to start the programme.
Chairman, NURTW State Council, Comrade Boma Tom-George, appreciated the gesture, noting that drivers who are healthy are needed in order to make an effective transport system. He hailed the Rivers State Government for coming up with such a programme and called the memorandum of understanding signed between NURTW and RIVCHIPP some months back a very good step in ensuring the welfare of union members.
Earlier, Dr. Juliet Aleme, while delivering a health talk on the importance of the insurance programme, explained that with N25,000 premium payable annually, drivers could enjoy medical cover for one year and pay just 15% for drugs.
