The Ondo State government is targeting 500,000 enrollees under its Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) by next year as part of efforts to cushion the impact of rising healthcare costs and expand access to affordable medical services.
The Director-General, Ondo State Contributory Health Commission (ODCHC), Abiodun Oyeneyin, made this known on Tuesday at the maiden National Summit of State Social Health Insurance Agencies (SSHIAs) in Akure.
The summit, themed ‘Economic Realities and the UHC Dream: Mobilising States for Scalable Health Insurance,’ brought together policymakers, healthcare providers and stakeholders to explore strategies for expanding coverage and advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) across Nigeria.
Oyeneyin said the scheme had continued to record steady growth, attracting enrollees from the formal sector, informal workers, vulnerable groups, and beneficiaries of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund.
According to him, more than 300,000 residents are enrolled in ORANGHIS, with projections indicating a sharp increase following the government’s recent decision to extend coverage to retirees. ‘We have over 300,000 enrollees under ORANGHIS. The government has also approved the inclusion of retirees, estimated at 34,000 and still growing,’ he said.
He expressed optimism that enrolment would rise significantly within the next year, driven by expanded coverage and sustained investment in the state’s healthcare system.
‘We hope that by this time next year, we will be close to 500,000 enrollees, if not more,’ he added.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa announced free health insurance coverage for retirees during the opening of the summit, describing it as part of efforts to improve healthcare access for senior citizens. The governor also unveiled a N1 billion Hospital Intervention Fund aimed at upgrading and modernising healthcare facilities across the state.
Oyeneyin said: ‘Healthcare is expensive, and insurance provides certainty in budgeting while guaranteeing access to quality services,’ he said.
He added that sustained campaigns and strategic partnerships had contributed to rising enrolment, alongside improvements in service delivery, particularly in drug availability across accredited facilities.
Also, the President, Forum of Chief Executive Officers of State Health Insurance Agencies in Nigeria, Mohammed Safana, called for stronger inter-state collaboration to improve healthcare financing and expand insurance coverage nationwide.