Gov Ademola Adeleke Increases Capitation for OHIS Service Providers, Pledges Wider Coverage for Enrollees

-As Stakeholders Commend Government’s Intervention, Urge Expansion Of Benefit Packages

Boluwatife Adedokun & Tosin Olasunkami

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has approved upward review of the capitation paid to health service providers under the state’s insurance scheme, raising it from ₦570 to ₦700 per enrollee.

Speaking at the Fourth Quarter Service Providers’ Forum Meeting held on Wednesday at the Staff Development Centre, Abere, the Executive Secretary Dr. Rasaq Akindele said the increment became necessary in response to the nation’s current economic situation, noting that more adjustments would follow soon.

“We know that there is need for us to increase what we are paying as capitation. It used to be ₦570 per enrollee, but considering the present economic realities, we have increased it to ₦700 for now, and we will still review it upward in due course,” he said.

The Executive Secretary commended the improvement in the quality of care offered to enrollees across the state, stating that there had been a “significant reduction in complaints” and an increase in public appreciation for healthcare facilities.

Akindele also disclosed that pending allowances for service providers were being cleared, assuring that some facilities would begin to receive payment before the close of the meeting.

He reiterated the state government’s commitment to extending the insurance coverage to private school teachers and more informal sector workers, emphasizing that the plan remained in the pipeline despite current fiscal challenges.

“The Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, remains committed to expanding the scheme. We are extending it to private schools and their teachers soon,” Akindele added.

Dr. Dare Racheal Folashade, Consultant Psychiatrist and Chief in charge of the State Specialist Hospital, Osogbo, described the meeting as a vital platform for improving service delivery.

She lauded the Osun Health Insurance program for saving lives, especially among low-income earners who can now access costly procedures like cesarean sections at little or no financial burden.

“An average cesarean section outside the scheme costs far more than many can afford. But through OSHIA, countless mothers have been able to deliver safely. The government deserves commendation for this initiative,” she said.

Dr. Folashade, however, urged the state government to expand its benefit package to cover more medical procedures, saying many clients often request services that are not yet included.

“If government can broaden the range of covered services, it will go a long way to improve the health of residents,” she added.

Also speaking, the Medical Director of Alpha-P Hospital, Osogbo, Dr. Olatunji Odebunmi, commended the initiative but called for better financial support to sustain private healthcare providers participating in the scheme.

He lamented that rising drug prices had made it difficult for facilities to operate under the old capitation rates and urged more efforts to bring informal sector workers into the program.

“Providers are running at a loss because the cost of drugs has skyrocketed. The capitation increase is a welcome development, but it must keep pace with market realities,” he said.

“The state has about five million residents, but fewer than 500,000 are registered under the scheme. Expanding coverage among informal workers is key to sustainability,” he added.

In his remarks, Dr. Akinpelu Ayodeji, Head of Staff for the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, highlighted that both primary and selected secondary healthcare services — including malaria, typhoid, cataract, and cesarean section, are covered under the current benefit package.

He urged all accredited healthcare providers to ensure full compliance and deliver quality care to all enrollees.

The Fourth Quarter Service Providers’ Forum Meeting, organized by the Osun Health Insurance Agency, brought together medical directors, desk officers, and other healthcare stakeholders to review service delivery and strengthen the state’s health insurance framework.