Health Insurance: DG PLASCHEMA berates Plateau Lawmakers for neglecting constituents, tasks media on Community Sustainability

By: Joseph A. Adudu, April 30, 2022

Dr. Fabong Jemchang, Director-General PLASCHEMA

The Director-General, Plateau State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (PLASCHEMA) Dr. Fabong Jemchang has revealed that with the exception of Rt. Hon. Idris Maje Wase, no any Plateau legislator either in the National or State Assembly who has seen it necessary and important to buy health insurance Premium for their constituents.
The DG made this revelation during an interface with the media Securing Community Sustainability at Crest Hotel Jos on Friday.

The importance of health insurance cannot be overemphasize as it protects beneficiaries from unexpected, high medical costs. In some cases, you get free preventive care, like vaccines, screenings, and some check-ups, even before you meet your deductible.
It must have been in realization of this significance that Governor Simon Lalong established PLASCHEMA in 2019 and saddled it with the responsibility of ensuring that all people have access to needed promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative health services of sufficient quality while ensuring the people don't suffer financial hardship when paying for services. It is expected (just as it's obtainable in democratic climes) that the politicians would have on their own see the need to take advantage of the services of the Agency to better the lives of their constituents but that seems not to be the case taking into cognizance the lamentation of the DG PLASCHEMA. "We have visited the National Assembly more than seven times, I have had contacts with all of them, we have given them forms, we have given Account numbers but no response.

"In the whole House of Representatives, only Maje has bought form for his people. Others kept promising they will do but they never did.

"I have equally made beautiful presentation at the House of Assembly in addition to series of follow-ups but nothing came out of it."

Dr. Jemchang said it was ironic that the legislators don't believe in what they were instrumental to its creation. "Imagine, how can you create something you don't believe in?", he asked rhethorically.

Cross section of journalists at the event

The DG however gave kudos to late Dr. Simon Harry (former Statistician-General of the Federation who died few weeks ago) whom he described as a person that held his people in high esteem. "He was the ambassador of this scheme. We mourn him because we lost a gentleman and a resource to the people of Plateau State", said Dr. Jemchang.

The DG PLASCHEMA further took a swipe at the Lawmakers in particular and politicians in general for deliberately not meeting the priorities and needs of the people but rather, choose to embark on programs which do not have direct bearings on the lives of the people.
He noted that consequent upon the challenges the Agency was facing prompted the interface with the media stressing that the media, being a strong and powerful instrument of persuasion has the potency and capacity to condition the minds of the people towards demanding from their representatives those basic things that touch and impacted on their lives directly.

One significant thing about PLASCHEMA is that the agency delivers services of the Basic Healthcare

Provision Fund (BHCPF) as one of the gate ways in Plateau State. The BHCPF was established under section 11 of the National Health Act 2014 as the chief funding vehicle for services under the scheme. It's funded by a minimum of 1 percent consolidated fund of the Federal Government with support from the state government.

Participants

The fund serves to increase the fiscal space and comprehensive financing for Universal Health Coverage.A remarkable thing about the BHCPF is that the earmarked beneficiaries under it are the poor of the poorest and vulnerable people.

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