No fewer than 54,000 pregnant women and children under the age of five have benefitted from the Abiyamo Scheme under the Ondo State Contributory Health Insurance Scheme, the state government has said.
The Special Adviser on Health to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Prof. Simidele Odimayo, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Akure.
Odimayo explained that the Abiyamo Scheme, an upgraded version of the former Abiye Scheme, provides free healthcare services for pregnant women and children under five through an insurance-based funding model.
“With this system, all pregnant women and children below five years are able to enjoy free health services,” he said. “The government registers them into an insurance scheme, which allows the programme to run sustainably without accumulating debts or owing health facilities.”
According to him, thousands of free Caesarean section procedures have been carried out under the scheme, describing it as a major advancement in maternal and child healthcare delivery in the state.
“Currently, about 54,000 people have benefitted from this programme, which continues to expand,” Odimayo said, urging residents to take advantage of the initiative.
He commended Governor Aiyedatiwa for prioritising healthcare, noting that the recent inclusion of the informal sector in the state’s contributory health insurance scheme was aimed at expanding access to affordable healthcare across all socioeconomic groups.
“The informal sector component allows people from all strata of the economy to access health services without facing catastrophic out-of-pocket spending,” he said.
Odimayo added that the state government had strengthened the health sector through increased staffing across various levels, following the governor’s approval for the recruitment of additional health workers.
He also disclosed that the state, in collaboration with the Malaria Consortium, recently distributed about 2.5 million insecticide-treated nets and provided free malaria drugs to combat malaria in the state.
According to the special adviser, health facilities across Ondo State have been equipped with essential medical supplies to effectively manage malaria cases and other health challenges.
