Gov Lalong has shown massive ‘political will’ in sustaining health care services in Plateau-DG PLASCHEMA

By Magdalene Barnabas

The  launched of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund(BHCPF)recently organized by the Plateau State Contributory Health Care Management Agency(PLASCHEMA)may have taken place but not much has since been heard on the gains recorded by PLASCHEMA the organizers of the event.

EAGLE EYE WATCH reports that the gains so far recorded is cheering news for the people of Plateau State.

Speaking on the rationale for the launch of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund(BHCPF)in the state ,the Director-General,Plateau State Contributory Health Care Management Agency(PLASCHEMA), Dr.Fabong Jemchang  Yildam disclosed to our reporter in an exclusive interview in his office, that they have been able to enroll over 28,091 persons that will be benefiting from the contributory health care scheme.

“We have enrolled 28,091 persons that will be benefiting from the scheme, that is the reason for the flag-off, so that they can begin to access health care at all levels”.

Commenting on consolidating the gains recorded so far by PLASCHEMA , he said that the health and accessory care service has been very effective.

“Under the state social health insurance scheme ,we have been able enroll about 18,000 persons while under the BHCPF we have enrolled 28,091.The facilities we have on board are accredited and we are ready to begin to render services .So the flag-off was just an initial point.

We have finished the enrollment ,probably at the end of July we shall be able to use the facilities so that the people will begin to access health care services. So for us it’s a significant milestone”.

Responding to the question as to whether the Plateau State government supports PLASCHEMA, Dr.Yildam added that:”Whatever we have achieved is not  possible without the support of the state governor, Barr,Simon Bako Lalong for he has shown massive political will in what we do in PLASCHEMA.

For instance every money the state government has promise us it has given us.It is also the Plateau State government that have provided us with the enabling environment and manpower to work with. So the government under the amiable leadership of Barr.Simon Bako Lalong is not playing politics with health care services in the state”.   

On the Out-of-Pocket payment system for health services which many persons have considered regressive,he described the age long payment system as catastrophic with the coming of the state health insurance scheme.

“Yes, the Out of Pocket expenditure has been described as catastrophic with the coming of the state Health Insurance Scheme, especially for  workers of the state and local government. It means that it has been totally eliminated. We are working with the informal sector and we have met a good number of appreciable groups that have buy-in into the scheme and the moment they pay  premiums, it means that we have got it”.

So it is very possible that the issue of Out-of-Pocket expenditure will be a thing of the past with more enrolees”.