THE Kwara State Government has disclosed that it would spend 34 million Euro on Community Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS) in the next five years.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed who disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking at the opening ceremony of Kwara State Health Insurance Research and Advocacy Conference said the amount was part of 67 million Euro the scheme would cost to cover 1,000,000 people living in the rural areas.

The Kwara State Government had partnered with Hygeia Community Health Care, the Dutch Helath Insurance Fund and Pharm Access Foundation in 2007 under a Public-Private partnership (PPP) arrangement.

Governor Ahmed who was represented by his Deputy, Elder Peter Kishira said the money was entailed in the MoU signed in February 2013 which was expected to be paid by the government.

“For the next five years, the scheme will cost 67m Euro, out of which 34m Euro premium subsidy is expected to be paid by Kwara State Government, based on current agreement. Another 4.9m Euro co-premium is to be paid by participants of the program.

“Other commitments are 28.1m Euro, 9.9m Euro, third party premium subsidy, 15m Euro, technical assistance, and 3.2m Eoro,research to be provided by technical partners.”

The Governor who disclosed that 105,000 low -income people had enrolled for Community Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS) in 13 local governments across the state said 600,000 clinical patients have been recorded in the whole Clinics open for the Scheme.

While justifying the success of the scheme, Governor Ahmed who commended his immediate predecessor,Dr Bukola Saraki for the introduction of the scheme said to attain socio-economic development and political stability in the nation, qualitative Health Care are needed for all Citizens.

In his remark, the Emir of Shonga, Dr Haliru Yahyah commended Dr Bukola Saraki, the former Governor of the state for his initiative to introduce the scheme to the state stressing that it has really helped rural dwellers.The Emir who said the scheme which started in Shonga, Edu Local government area of Kwara state, enable the participants to pay N300 annually to access basic health care.