By Anne Azuka
The Director-General of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission (DSCHC), Dr. Isaac Akpoveta, has announced that enrolment under the Delta State Health Insurance Scheme has grown significantly, rising from about 1.3 million to over 2.78 million beneficiaries across the state. Dr. Akpoveta disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing journalists in Asaba on the achievements and reforms recorded by the commission under the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
According to him, the expansion of the Delta health insurance scheme has been driven by strong political will, consistent funding, and sustained government support, which have helped strengthen service delivery and coverage. He explained that although the contributory health scheme was officially launched on January 1, 2017, it gained renewed momentum due to leadership continuity, describing his retention as Director-General as a rare but critical factor in deepening reforms and ensuring long-term planning.
Dr. Akpoveta revealed that Delta State currently ranks first in Nigeria in health insurance enrolment, noting that while Delta has over 2.78 million enrollees, the next closest state has just above one million beneficiaries.He said the scheme now operates in all parts of the state, including rural and hard-to-reach communities where residents previously had limited or no access to quality healthcare services.“Doctors and nurses have been deployed to underserved areas, significantly improving access to healthcare for thousands of residents,” he said.The DG disclosed that the commission has deployed over 300 Service Quality Monitors (SQMs) across major hospitals in the state to ensure efficiency, accountability, and respectful patient care.“
These monitors ensure patients are promptly attended to, treated with dignity, and given the correct medications,” Akpoveta said, adding that Delta is the first state in Nigeria to implement such a quality monitoring system within a health insurance framework. He further highlighted the commission’s use of digital technology, including facial recognition, to verify beneficiaries and prevent fraud, noting that patient encounters are monitored in real time across health facilities.
On drug dispensing, Akpoveta explained that prescriptions are photographed and uploaded to the commission’s system, while drugs dispensed are documented by SQMs. Any discrepancy is immediately flagged for clarification.The DG added that hospitals submit daily electronic reports on treatments, surgeries, and deliveries, while childbirth cases are verified through photo documentation and follow-up interviews with mothers.He said payments to healthcare providers are strictly performance-based, stressing that facilities or personnel who fail to meet required standards are not paid.
Akpoveta disclosed that pregnant women in Delta State enjoy free antenatal care, delivery — including caesarean sections — and postnatal care, while children born under the scheme receive free healthcare until the age of five. He explained that these services fall under the Equity Health Plan, funded through 0.5 percent of the state’s annual budget to support vulnerable groups.On funding, he said civil servants contribute 3.5 percent of their salaries, organised private sector workers contribute five percent, while informal sector participants pay an annual premium of ₦7,000.
Dr. Akpoveta noted that the scheme has contributed to a reduction in maternal and child mortality and has received national and international recognition, including presentations in Rwanda. He called on corporate organisations and development partners to support the scheme through corporate social responsibility initiatives and warned beneficiaries to report any form of extortion by health workers.
