Aiyedatiwa unveils N1bn intervention fund for hospitals across Ondo

…Announces free health insurance coverage for pensioners

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Monday unveiled a N1 billion Hospital Intervention Fund to support the expansion and modernisation of healthcare facilities across the State, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to achieving universal health coverage.

Aiyedatiwa, who disclosed this at the Maiden National Summit of State Social Health Insurance Agencies (SSHIAs) held at the International Centre for Culture and Events (The Dome), Akure said his administration had continued to prioritise healthcare through the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission (ODCHC), which is driving efforts to expand health insurance coverage across the state.

The governor also announced the inclusion of retirees in the Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) at no cost, a move aimed at ensuring senior citizens have access to quality healthcare services without financial burden.

Speaking on the theme, “Economic Realities and the UHC Dream: Mobilising States for a Scalable Health Insurance,” the governor said social health insurance had become an economic necessity in view of the prevailing economic realities confronting many households.

According to him, health insurance remains one of the most effective ways of protecting citizens from catastrophic healthcare expenditures and ensuring that access to medical care is not determined by socio-economic status.

Governor Aiyedatiwa highlighted some of the State’s achievements in the health sector, including the Orange Health Insurance Scheme for public servants and workers in the informal sector, the Abiyamo Scheme for pregnant women and children under five, as well as the Ilera-Loro programme under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund for vulnerable residents.

The governor noted that vulnerable persons had been enrolled under the Ilera-Loro scheme across all 203 wards in the 18 local government areas of the state.

Announcing the free health insurance coverage for retirees, Aiyedatiwa said the initiative was designed to safeguard pensioners who had devoted their productive years to serving the state.

“Our retirees face unique age-related health challenges during a phase of life when medical bills can become overwhelming. By absorbing them into ORANGHIS free of charge, we are removing financial barriers to healthcare and ensuring they have access to quality medical services,” he said.

The governor explained that the newly approved N1 billion Hospital Intervention Fund would complement the state’s expanding health insurance programme by improving healthcare infrastructure and service delivery.

He stressed that health insurance could only be effective when supported by functional hospitals, modern medical equipment and motivated healthcare personnel.

To further strengthen the sector, Aiyedatiwa said the state government had commenced the construction and upgrading of healthcare facilities while also recruiting more health professionals.

He, therefore, commended the Forum of Chief Executive Officers of State Social Health Insurance Agencies for organising the summit and bringing together critical stakeholders to discuss strategies for advancing universal health coverage in Nigeria.

Governor Aiyedatiwa, who declared the summit open, reaffirmed Ondo State’s readiness to collaborate with stakeholders in promoting affordable and accessible healthcare for all.

Oyebanji Filani, Ekiti State Commissioner for Health and Chairman of the Forum of Health Commissioners, who also spoke at the summit commended Ondo State for recording the lowest neonatal and infant mortality rates in Nigeria.

He said data from the National Demographic and Health Survey showed neonatal mortality at three per 1,000 live births and infant mortality at eight per 1,000.

Filani noted that prior to the commencement of flight operations at Akure Airport, he had visited primary healthcare centres in Ondo State to understudy the system’s success.

He also commended President Bola Tinubu for increasing fiscal resources available to states, stressing that emphasis should now be placed on effective utilisation.

Filani, who said universal health coverage should be treated as a prioritisation framework rather than merely a financing issue, urged state health insurance agencies to function as strategic purchasers of healthcare services and protect citizens from catastrophic health spending.

In his goodwill message, Chairman of the Forum of Chief Executive Officers of State Social Health Insurance Agencies and Director-General of the Katsina State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency, Kabir Mustapha, described the summit as a milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards universal health coverage.

He said it marked the first coordinated gathering of all state health insurance agencies and the Federal Capital Territory under a unified platform.

Mustapha disclosed that over 14 million Nigerians had been enrolled into health insurance schemes as of April 2026.

He said the figure reflected the impact of decentralised health insurance implementation and demonstrated progress driven by state ownership and accountability.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for increasing funding for the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund from one per cent to two per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

According to him, the increase represents a significant boost to primary healthcare delivery and protection for vulnerable populations.

Mustapha also commended Ondo State for hosting the summit and acknowledged the reforms led by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate.