The Managing Administrator, Alafia Hospital, Ibadan, the first private hospital in the old Western Region, Babatunde Agbaje, has called on the Minister of Health, Dr. Isaac Adewole, to ensure that the focus of his health policy is based on adequate funding of the universal health insurance scheme that will be beneficial to the average Nigerian.

 

Agbaje made the call at the 40th memorial programme of his father, Dr. Saka Agbaje, who founded the foremost hospital in Ibadan in 1938. He said the Federal Government had the duty of ensuring that every Nigerian had access to basic health care and affordable medical services.

 

He said, “The only thing that this government must lay emphasis on is to find a way to adequately fund universal health insurance scheme. This is the only step that can make health care services available to vast majority of Nigerians who cannot afford or access good medical services till date. The percentage of this class of people is the highest going by our experience.

 

“I was involved in the Oyo State Health Insurance Scheme, and I am one of those who advocated that the state should be the first to have a comprehensive health insurance scheme for all its citizens.”

 

By Olufemi Atoyebi

. Punch