Ex-Commissioner Urges Accelerated Enrollment Into Rivers Health Insurance Scheme

The immediate past Commissioner for Health in Rivers State, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, has called for acceleration of enrollments into the State Contributory Health Insurance Scheme.

Oreh made the call in a keynote address at the Rivers State Health sectors Joint Annual Review (JAR) meeting in Port Harcourt, recently.

She said this was necessary in order to ensure that no Rivers family is pushed into poverty due to medical bills.

The former Commissioner also called for the training and retraining of medical and health workers in the State with a view to deploying skilled health professionals to underserved rural and the riverine areas of the State.

She also called for the sustenance of the ongoing health facilities and infrastructural upgrade across the State to ensure quality health services to the people.

Oreh harped on the need to strengthen accountability and institutional integrity in the healthcare system, saying, “progress without accountability is fleeting.

“To build the trust of our people and the state partners, accountability must be non negotiable.”

She described the event as a decisive moment in the healthcare programme of the State.

“We gather here today at a critical juncture in Rivers State’s health system’s journey. This assembly is not a mere ritual of administrative reporting; it is a decisive moment of reflection, evaluation, and strategic alignment.

“Today, we stand at the intersection of where we have been, where we are, and where we must go to guarantee the health and well-being of every resident of Rivers State.

“The mandate of this year’s JAR is clear: we must turn evidence into action, and data into tangible human impact,” she said.

The former commissioner said the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has over the last three years prioritized the healthcare needs of the State through the provision of infrastructure and upgrading of healthcare centres across the 23 local government areas.

“Over the past year, under the leadership and vision of the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, bold strides have been taken to fortify the health sector architecture.

“The baseline strength of healthcare delivery has been prioritised by upgrading primary healthcare centres across all our 23 local government areas, ensuring that basic health interventions are brought closer to where our people live and work,” she stated.

Oreh emphasised that public health intelligence systems have been reinforced by the Fubara administration, thereby ensuring rapid response capabilities to potential disease outbreaks and safeguarding our communities against health emergencies.

“Through targeted interventions and partnership programmes, there has been an expansion of access to essential care for our women and children, the very backbone of our state’s future.

“These achievements demonstrate what is possible when political will aligns with technical rigour. However, consolidation means ensuring that we step beyond achievement to determine that these gains are resilient, scalable, and resistant to disruption” Oreh said.

The former health commissioner also said that every resources allocated to health in Rivers State from public funds to partner contributions must yield measurable health outcomes.

“The systematic elimination of bottlenecks, reducing of waste, and enforcing strict stewardship of health sector investments is critical.

” Your ultimate accountability is to the citizens of Rivers State. Access to compassionate, high-quality, and respectful healthcare is a fundamental expectation, and you must be committed to upholding that trust across all communities.

“As we look toward 2027, your strategic priorities must be bold, realistic, and focused on lasting structural transformation. In this Joint Annual Review, our discussions must crystallize into four core strategic pillars,” she advised.

Oreh said since no government can succeed in isolation. the strengthening of multi-sectoral collaborations with development partners, private sector innovators, and civil society organisations must remain an unflinching commitment.

She stressed the need for participants at the meeting to challenge assumptions, examine the evidence critically, acknowledge gaps candidly, and co-create solutions that are tailored to the unique realities of Rivers State.

In his welcomes address the Permanent Secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health, Dr Vincent Wachukwu, said the task before the ministry this year is to examine what has changed for the people who depend on the services of the ministry.

According to him, the review this year was organised around six questions covering survival and equity, continuity of care, quality, system capability, health intelligence and implementation of corrective action.

“Our responsibilities are to identify the requirements relevant to Rivers State and organise the evidence and institutional action needed to meet them,” he said.

By: John Bibor, Francis Obomate & Jimoh Omosefe