By Golok Nanmwa,Jos

Plateau state Governor Simon Lalong on Tuesday launched the state Contributory Health Care Management Agency (PLASCHEMA) .

Speaking at the occasion in Jos ,Lalong called on citizens of the State to avail themselves of the unique opportunity to enroll and gain access to quality healthcare.

He said that the scheme is open for all Plateau residents in the formal and informal sectors together with their families.

In his words ” Let me use this opportunity to again reassure the people of Plateau State that my administration will keep faith with its promise to leave lasting legacies in all sectors, including health.

The Governor vowed that his administration will keep faith with its promise to leave lasting legacies in all sectors, including health.

“We have demonstrated this by completing projects such as the Riyom General Hospital after about 13 years since it was abandoned. Work has continued on other abandoned General Hospitals in Kwal in Kanke Local Government and Mabudi in Lantang South.”

” By this launch, we are equally commencing the enrolment of our citizens into the Plateau State Social Health Insurance Scheme.

He said that the event is a great step towards achieving Universal Health Coverage in Plateau State which is in line with the Rescue Administration’s first pillar policy thrust of Peace, Security and Good Governance.

“The World Health Organization acknowledges health as a fundamental human right and this administration believes firmly in this assertion. This is because only the healthy can participate in economic and social activities that contribute to the development of their communities. ” We are also taking the training of health professionals to the next level as the Plateau State University Bokkos has concluded plans for the take-off of the Faculty of Health Sciences. This is backed up with the establishment of a proposed Teaching Hospital.

The Governor thanked the Speaker and Members of the Plateau State House of Assembly for giving due consideration to the PLASCHEMA bill and passing it into law .

Director -General of the Agency, Dr. Fabong Jemchang who also spoke at the occasion said that the Agency is among other things mandated to regulate cost of healthcare and ensure adequate distribution of healthcare facilities across the 17 located government areas of the State.

Jemchang stressed that his agency, having been mandated to “regulate, supervise and implement State Social Health Insurance Scheme to provide universal health coverage for every resident of the State would work to ensure financial protection form individuals and families from huge medical bills and ensure equally distribution of health cost across different income groups.

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Lalong flags off enrollment of Plateau social health insurance scheme