Delta State government health intervention called ‘Access to Finance Scheme’ is said to have taken off on a good note. This scheme, designed by the PharmAccess Foundation, in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BoI), is championed by the Delta State Contributory Health Commission aimed at handing over defunct and abandoned health facilities in the rural areas of the state to capable private sector players to manage, to provide qualitative healthcare services to indigenes in often neglected areas of the state.
In addition, the Access to Finance Scheme which is currently facilitating access to health services to over 30, 000 enrollees in the State Health Insurance Scheme, also includes the adoption of the SafeCare methodology, a quality standard developed by the PharmAccess Foundation, together with COHSASA and JCI and is the only ISQUA accredited standard for resource constrained areas, by all facilities and providers to guarantee a high level of quality standard in the provision of services.
The scheme also provides the opportunity for the providers to access funds at concessionary rates through a global fund supported by contributions from the State Government and the Bank of Industry, partially guaranteed by the Medical Credit Fund (MCF) of the PharmAccess Foundation. The expectation is that the low interest loans would enable the private providers offer services which would be affordable to the Delta State Contributory Health Commission.
To commence a pilot, the state offered 25 facilities that have been previously abandoned to 11 providers to revitalise and manage for a period of 5 years in a PPP arrangement. One of such providers is Toronto Hospital in Anambra State which is managing the facilities in Polobubo Kingdom, which is now being attended by indigenes in need of health care.
Emeka Eze, the MD/CEO of Toronto Hospital, a 100-bed hospital in Anambra State, said: “Without this intervention, many women whose lives have been saved would have been dead from hemorrhaging. We must give kudos to the consortium of the Delta State Government, PharmAccess Foundation and the Bank of Industry for coming up with this wonderful innovation that could be replicated as a means of revitalising healthcare services in Nigeria”.
The consortium under the initiative has recently approved and disbursed a loan of over N350 million at an interest rate of 10.5percent to revitalise health facilities across Delta State, which was done through a competitive process by placing adverts in the papers and facilitated by MCF through a thorough screening process.
The loan is expected to be repaid through the capitation and fee for service payments received from the Delta State Contributory Health Commission.
Njide Ndili, the country director of the PharmAccess Foundation, said the foundation primary purpose of initiating the scheme is to make healthcare services available to all. “We are very proud to be partners with the Delta State Government and the Bank of Industry on this laudable scheme which would see many people in the rural areas who have been otherwise undeserved, begin to have access to the same quality of care as seen in the urban areas. This is the very reason the PharmAccess Foundation was set up; to make health markets work”.
While speaking at the recently concluded 62nd National Council on Health, Ben Nkechika, the director general of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission said, “We are very happy to showcase the Access to Finance Scheme as one of the innovations the government has used to increase the penetration of health services delivery in Delta State. The government recognises the role of the private sector in this regard, understanding that they cannot do it alone. This is why we are considering expanding the number of facilities under this scheme”.
According to Nkechika, the state government has increased the number of primary healthcare centers it is renovating to over 300 fully funded by the state; however, the government still appreciates and acknowledges the role of the private sector in revitalising more health facilities in response to the growing need of facilities to deliver care as a result of the expanding health insurance coverage of the state’s health commission,
Olamide Okulaja, the director of advocacy and communications of PharmAccess Foundation, said, “It is very important to continue to explore new innovations that would facilitate quality care to all Nigerians. The government’s resources are dwindling at a very fast rate and the private sector can be a veritable source of revenue to fill the gap whilst the government looks for alternative ways of increasing its revenues”.
However, the business development director of the Medical Credit Fund, Olufisayo Okunsanya, said the foundation work with the providers to develop business plans to ensure sustainable business models. “Our role in this arrangement is not to loan monies directly to the private sector, but to create cushion and comfort to the PFIs and DFIs.
“Most of the providers under the scheme have also attended our Health Management Program which we are facilitating together with the Enterprise Development Center of the Lagos Business School to enable them to understand the business of healthcare. This is why we are able to put our money where our mouth is and provide partial guarantee for the loan these providers access,” Olufisayo said.
SEYI JOHN SALAU
