OYSHIA has urged Oyo parents to enrol children in health insurance as schools resume, highlighting affordable plans and protection from costly medical bills.
The Oyo State Health Insurance Agency (OYSHIA) has called on parents and guardians across the state to include health insurance among their priorities as schools resume for a new academic session.
The agency said enrolling children and other members of the family in a health insurance scheme could significantly reduce the financial burden associated with unexpected medical treatment.
The Director of Marketing, OYSHIA, Mr Stephen Dauda, made the call on Monday while speaking on the OYSHIA De, Irorun De programme aired on Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, BCOS Television.
Dauda emphasised that the resumption of schools should remind parents not only about school fees, uniforms and other educational requirements, but also about the importance of securing access to affordable healthcare for their children.
According to him, health remains a fundamental priority and should not be treated as an afterthought when families are making preparations for a new school term.
He disclosed that OYSHIA had engaged the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools to encourage private school operators to incorporate health insurance into the payments made by students and members of staff.
He explained that the initiative was aimed at making health insurance more accessible to children attending private schools while reducing the tendency for families to wait until a medical emergency occurs before seeking financial protection.
Dauda urged parents and guardians to take advantage of the available health insurance arrangements and contact OYSHIA whenever they require clarification on the appropriate scheme for their families.
OYSHIA clarifies one-year health insurance subscription
Addressing concerns about the duration of health insurance subscriptions, the OYSHIA director explained that although subscribers are generally advised to make provision for one year, the coverage period does not necessarily have to follow the January-to-December calendar year for every scheme.
He said subscribers whose coverage has expired should not assume that they have permanently lost access to the scheme.
According to him, beneficiaries can contact OYSHIA to understand how to renew, start afresh or roll over their health insurance coverage, depending on the particular scheme they are enrolled in.
He therefore advised subscribers to communicate with the agency whenever they are uncertain about the status of their health insurance rather than abandoning their enrolment.
Public school workers have continuous coverage
Dauda also addressed questions concerning teachers and other workers in public schools, noting that their health insurance arrangements are different because they are civil servants.
He explained that public-sector workers have provisions that allow their health insurance coverage to continue beyond their active years of service.
According to him, arrangements are also in place for retirees, with provisions linked to their pensions to enable them to maintain access to healthcare after retirement.
He said this gives public servants and retirees a level of continuity in their health insurance coverage.
OYSHIA explains pregnancy health insurance plan
Speaking on the agency’s pregnancy-related health insurance plan, Dauda explained that the major change concerns when individuals subscribe to the programme.
He stressed that people are expected to plan ahead rather than wait until they become pregnant before seeking to enrol.
According to him, prospective beneficiaries can subscribe to the pregnancy plan before conception at a cost of N21,000.
However, he disclosed that individuals who attempt to enrol after becoming pregnant would have to pay N108,000.
Dauda said the difference is intended to encourage families to make adequate healthcare arrangements before pregnancy rather than waiting until the pregnancy has already begun.
He urged women and families planning to have children to consider health insurance as part of their preparations.
Newborn babies get two-week free healthcare offer
The OYSHIA director further explained that newborn babies are entitled to a free healthcare offer for the first two weeks after birth.
After the two-week period, he said parents can enrol the child into a one-year health insurance plan for N21,000.
He advised parents to take advantage of the opportunity instead of waiting until their children develop health challenges before arranging coverage.
Dauda maintained that early enrolment provides families with greater financial protection, particularly in situations where medical treatment becomes unexpectedly expensive.
N21,000 insurance could save families millions
Making a case for wider enrolment, Dauda compared the cost of health insurance with the amount families could potentially spend on medical treatment when serious health challenges arise.
He argued that paying N21,000 in advance for a year’s health insurance benefits could be significantly more affordable than bearing medical expenses running into hundreds of thousands or even millions of naira.
He encouraged families to view health insurance as an investment in their wellbeing rather than an unnecessary expense.
According to him, the essence of insurance is to ensure that families are better prepared financially when illness or other medical emergencies occur.
OYSHIA explains two-month waiting period
The OYSHIA official was also asked why subscribers sometimes have to wait for about two months before their premium becomes active.
Responding, Dauda explained that the waiting period is linked to the administrative processes involved after a subscriber completes the registration and makes payment.
He said the agency has to carry out several administrative procedures before the subscriber’s coverage becomes operational.
Dauda urged prospective beneficiaries to understand the process and plan their enrolment ahead of when they expect to require healthcare services.
Esther’s surgery shows value of health insurance
To further demonstrate the importance of health insurance, Dauda cited the case of Esther Abodunrin, an OYSHIA beneficiary who successfully underwent jaw surgery through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) scheme.
He explained that Esther’s family would ordinarily have faced a medical bill of about N3 million for the operation carried out at Redeemer Health Centre.
However, because she was covered under the health insurance arrangement, the family was spared the burden of paying the huge amount directly.
The case, according to Dauda, illustrates how health insurance can protect families from financial hardship when they are confronted with serious medical conditions requiring expensive treatment.
He therefore urged residents of Oyo State, particularly parents and families preparing for the new school term, to consider health insurance a necessary part of their planning.
Dauda said the agency remains committed to expanding access to healthcare and encouraging more residents to take advantage of available insurance schemes.
He reiterated that families should not wait until illness occurs before thinking about healthcare financing, stressing that early planning can make a significant difference when medical emergencies arise.
As schools reopen across Oyo State, OYSHIA’s appeal places renewed attention on the need for parents to look beyond academic expenses and consider how they would meet the healthcare needs of their children throughout the year.
The agency’s message is that proactive health planning can help families avoid being overwhelmed by unexpected medical bills while ensuring that children and other dependants have access to healthcare when needed.
About The Author
