DTHA Lawmakers Promise Sustained Partnership With Delta Contributory Health Commission

The Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Health has reaffirmed the commitment of the Legislature, in collaboration with the Executive, to strengthening the health sector and improving access to quality healthcare services across the state.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Ferguson Onwo, stated this on Tuesday when he led members of the Committee on an oversight visit to the headquarters of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission (DSCHC) in Asaba.

Onwo, who represents Isoko South II Constituency, commended the management of the Commission for its achievements, innovations and sustained efforts in ensuring that more residents are enrolled in the contributory health insurance scheme.

The Lawmaker said the oversight visit was part of the constitutional responsibility of the Assembly to monitor government agencies and assess their performance, stressing that the exercise was not intended to witch-hunt the management.

According to him, "This is not a witch-hunting exercise. We are here to evaluate the successes and challenges of the Commission, identify areas that require legislative intervention and see how, working with the Executive, we can further strengthen the health sector in Delta State."

The lawmaker, who was accompanied by other members of the Committee, including Hon. Perkins Umukoro, Hon. Emeka Osamuta, Hon. Bernard Odior and Hon. Matthew Omonade, said the achievements recorded by the Commission were consistent with the health component of the MORE Agenda of the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.

Onwo urged the management to sustain the momentum, particularly in the area of advocacy and public enlightenment, noting that increased awareness was essential to encouraging more residents to enrol in the scheme.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission, Dr. Austine Obidi, thanked the lawmakers for the visit, describing it as timely and constructive.

Obidi appealed for legislative support in addressing some critical challenges confronting the Commission, particularly the provision of operational vehicles and the acquisition of a permanent corporate headquarters.

He also called for greater collaboration with corporate organisations and other stakeholders to encourage more Deltans to enrol in the state's health insurance scheme.

"We appreciate the Committee for coming to see what we are doing and to understand the challenges we are facing. We are seeking legislative support in some critical areas, especially operational vehicles, a permanent headquarters and stronger engagement with corporate institutions to bring more Deltans into the scheme”, Obidi said.

In his presentation, the Director-General of the Commission, Dr. Isaac Akpoveta, gave an overview of the achievements recorded by the agency, disclosing that nearly three million residents had already been enrolled in the health insurance scheme.

Akpoveta also highlighted the Commission's progress in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), noting that deployment of digital innovations had enhanced operations, transparency, accountability and service delivery.

He said the Commission had continued to strengthen its workforce and operational capacity, particularly following the onboarding of more than 200 new staff members.

According to the DG, "Our focus is to ensure that technology, human resources and efficient processes work together to provide better services to our enrollees and strengthen accountability within the system".

The oversight visit was climaxed with a tour of the various departments and operational units of the Commission, during which members of the Committee inspected facilities and interacted with officials.