Posted on: Wed 26-02-2025

Sir: The Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) is a premium health insurance agency with the mandate of providing quality healthcare services and financial risk protection for residents of the state.

RIVCHPP, as it is popularly known, came into being through the Rivers State Law 3 of 2020 that was signed into law by the immediate past administration of Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike in June 2021, but was established and made functional by Governor Amaopusenibo Siminialayi Fubara’s administration last year.

In approving and authorising the functionality of the agency, Fubara appointed Dr. Vetty Rolegherighan Agala as its Acting Executive Secretary, provided an office space and everything required for the agency to take off on a strong footing.

Fubara authorised the health insurance agency to become functional.  As a health insurance agency, the RIVCHPP is designed to ensure that everyone who lives and works in Rivers State, irrespective of his state of origin, has unfettered access to quality healthcare, when and where he or she needs it, without incurring heavy financial burden.

Beginning with the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), which caters specifically to the health needs of those designated as vulnerable persons by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the agency had not rested on its oars since its unveiling, churning out packages and health plans that would increase the social insurance pool and enable more residents of the state to enjoy bumper and quality healthcare services.

In less than one year of its existence, RIVCHPP has facilitated the reduction of morbidity and mortality rate in the state without pauperising the residents who enjoy the health benefits.

As an agency, RIVCHPP office was officially opened on March 27, 2024, commenced its work with launch of BHCPF on April 11, 2024 by the governor of Rivers State and till date has enrolled over 80,000 beneficiaries in its Basic Health Care Provision Fund of which about 40,000 have been accessing different forms of quality healthcare services across the 23 local government areas of the state.

Besides those who have been so enrolled, covering children below five years of age, pregnant mothers, the aged above 60 years of age, people living with disabilities (PWDs), chronically ill persons, among other beneficiaries, the agency also carried out over 50 surgeries for residents of the state in commemoration of Fubara’s 50th birthday anniversary.

Without mincing words, RIVCHPP’s emergence as a health insurance agency in Rivers State has saved the lives of many Rivers residents, just as the beneficiaries have been saved money, stress and undue emotional trauma that come with lack of financial resources to access healthcare when they need it.

As RIVCHPP continues to touch lives in different positive ways, Rivers people are optimistic that the gains in the coming years will be richer and broader, as the agency is expected to grow into a truly premier state social insurance provider in Rivers State, Nigeria and Africa.

Idanye Oruigoni, information and media officer of RIVCHPP, wrote from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

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