Osun govt enrolls over 1,000 inmates into health insurance scheme

Osun state government, under the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke, has enrolled over 1,000 inmates of correctional centre into the Osun Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS) at no cost, to give them adequate healthcare.

The Executive Secretary of the Osun Health Insurance Agency (OSHIA), Dr. Rasaq Akintunde Akindele, who made this known in a press conference in Osogbo on Tuesday, disclosed that the enrollment was free.

He added that people with disabilities were also enrolled in the scheme at no cost and provided with assistive devices, including motorised wheelchairs, crutches, hearing aids, and visual aids.

Akindele stated that the state screened about 450,000 pupils in public primary and secondary schools for visual impairment, saying out of these, 46,000 were found to have sight challenges, with 43,000 provided with corrective glasses, while others received medications and surgeries free of charge.

The executive secretary, however, explained that “he inclusion of correctional centre inmates demonstrated the Adeleke-led administration’s belief that ‘healthcare is not a privilege, but a right for every resident of Osun, irrespective of their social status or condition.

“The initiative is part of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s drive to make healthcare a fundamental right for every resident of the state.

“This is in fulfilment of the electoral promises of Mr. Governor to make the healthcare of the inhabitants of Osun State a priority, regardless of the State’s financial buoyancy.

“Since inmates are also residents of Osun and after serving their terms will still be reintegrated into society, their health is the concern of Mr. Governor.

“The decision to include inmates followed an appeal by the State Controller of Corrections, Olalekan Rotimi Oluwadele, during a courtesy visit to the governor. Akindele stressed that the move was borne out of compassion and had no political undertone, adding that it reflected the administration’s openness to collaborate with federal and international agencies for the welfare of residents.

“The free enrollment for inmates comes on the heels of similar welfare-oriented interventions by the state government. Earlier, Governor Adeleke had approved the free inclusion of pensioners in OHIS, with over 26,000 retirees already benefiting from the scheme without paying the mandatory 10 per cent co-payment on drugs.

“I charge the inmates to reciprocate the government’s gesture by adhering to correctional rules while preparing for reintegration into society with healthy and sound minds and bodies,” he concluded.

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