By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – THE Edo State Health Insurance Commission (EDOHIC) has organized a high-level training for healthcare providers and staff across the state to strengthen healthcare delivery and promote best practices.

The Director General of EDOHIC, Dr. Augusta Ikpea-Enaholo, noted that the state’s health insurance scheme has made significant progress and remained focused on continuous improvement, urging accredited facilities to prioritize quality service for enrollees under the scheme.

The training session was titled “Empowering Quality Care and Best Practices for Health Service Providers.” was held at the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA) in Benin City and joined virtually by participants in Edo North and Central region who convened at Ekpoma and Auchi respectively.

The event brought together healthcare services providers, public health workers, and administrators across the state with the aim of enhancing the knowledge base, ethical standards, acquaint participants with the revised Standard Operating Procedures and professional competencies of health service providers in alignment with global best practices.

Ikpea-Enaholo emphasized the urgent need to reposition the state’s healthcare system by placing a stronger focus on patient-centered care, clinical excellence, and ethical responsibility in line with the outlined  SOP’s  reinforcing EDOHIC emergency response policy so that no enrollee is ever denied urgent care due to administrative constraints,“Our goal is to build a resilient healthcare system where quality is the standard and best practices are embedded in every layer of service delivery to achieve Universal Health coverage.”she said.

The one-day training had Chief Medical Officers across the state in attendance and featured interactive sessions covering critical topics such as Strategic direction under the Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration’s comprehensive health package in the state.

The Director of Health Services and Standards Department of EDOHIC, Dr Osayuki Edosa-Iyayi emphasized that the sustainability of any healthcare system depends on the strength and efficiency of its providers highlighting the growth of the number of facilities under the EDOHIC scheme.

She noted the Commission’s mission to provide accessible, affordable health services, revealing that since “2022, over 276,300 Edo residents have received care under EDOHIC’s insurance program, 1011 surgeries since 2023, and 474 Deliveries since 2021 across  the three Senatorial districts in the State.”