The Delta State Contributory Health Commission staff have expressed satisfaction and gratitude over a Two-Day Seminar on Health Insurance Management by the Staff of National Health Insurance Scheme.

The Seminar which has been described as ‘well packaged and powerful’, had the objectives to deepen the knowledge and understanding of staff in healthcare financing concepts, to guide participants on effective and efficient structures and processes for implementing state insurance policy for universal Health coverage, and to deepen the understanding of State Social Health Insurance Scheme (SSHIAs) on how to integrate other health financing mechanisms such as the Basic Health Care Programme (BHCP).

Expressing satisfaction after the seminar, the Director for Administration and Human Resources, Comrade Martins Bolum said: “It is a welcome development especially when everyone participated. The level of ignorance was high but now everyone is on the same page. Every staff now understand every department in the Commission. This will help immensely in coordinating and working together as a team”. He however pleaded with the Management of the DSCHC to ‘send at least three persons from each department to the NHIS, Abuja for in-depth study so as to know the nitty-gritty of the Health Insurance Scheme’.

Speaking further on the effect on staff, the Director, PRS and ICT, Mr. Emmanuel Akpofure said that ‘‘It is welcoming and refreshing. It puts all dedicated staff of the commission on track. I am appreciative and look forward to more of this’’. The participants were reminded that Health is not a Consumption Universal Health Care but an Investment Commodity and so should use innovative ways to enforce the mandatory nature of the scheme in Delta State because it is more of an informal sector society.

The participants, who were described as ‘’cooperative and attentive ’’ by one of the Instructors, had brainstorming/group discussions on how to identify issues militating the insurance scheme in the State and how to apply practical suggestions for effective result.