The Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) has urged residents to enrol in its health insurance scheme, saying it is designed to protect families from the high cost of medical treatment and prevent them from falling into poverty because of healthcare expenses.
The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of RIVCHPP, Dr. Vetty Agala, appealed while speaking with journalists after a radio programme in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Dr. Agala explained that many families are forced to spend their savings or borrow money to pay hospital bills whenever a loved one becomes ill.
He said the health insurance scheme helps reduce that burden by pooling resources so that enrollees can access quality healthcare without bearing the full cost of treatment.
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He noted that the programme is open to all residents of the state, including workers in the formal and informal sectors, as well as vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and other indigent persons.
According to him, the Rivers State Government is already subsidising health insurance for vulnerable residents, but called on individuals, corporate organisations and other well-meaning citizens to support the initiative by sponsoring the enrolment of people who cannot afford it.
Dr. Agala also said the state government has invested heavily in renovating health facilities and recruiting more healthcare workers to improve service delivery.
He encouraged residents to make use of the upgraded facilities by enrolling in the health insurance scheme, stressing that access to affordable healthcare should not be a privilege but a right for every resident of the state.
