HEALTHCARE PERSONNEL OF GENERAL HOSPITALS IN THE STATE HAVE BEEN CHARGED TO PROVIDE QUALITY HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR RIVCHPP'S ENROLLEES.

Healthcare Personnel working in general hospitals in the different parts of Rivers State have been charged to always provide quality healthcare services for enrollees of Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) assigned to their facilities for their health care needs,  even as they are urged to see the enrollees as relatives that need the best of attention.

The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Rolegherighan Agala,  who gave the directive at the training of healthcare personnel on RIVCHPP digital operations, referral and claims management,  at Professor Kelsey Harrison Hospital,  Port Harcourt,  on Monday,  29th September,  2025, emphasised that the enrollees are our people and should be provided with quality health care services.

Dr. Agala reiterated that RIVCHPP is bent on giving the best of healthcare services to all Rivers residents,  hence the desire to bring on board all the general hospitals to complement the services provided by the primary health centres and other health facilities,  saying that civil servants and pensioners who will soon be on RIVCHPP scheme will be assigned to the general hospitals for both primary and secondary healthcare services.

RIVCHPP's Executive Secretary informed that there are lots of responsibilities on the general hospitals since they have more capacity than primary health centres  and they are domiciled closer to the people of the State, assuring that the capitation from RIVCHPP will help to improve facilities and level of care to beneficiaries.

Dr. Agala announced that the kind of healthcare services RIVCHPP desires for its enrollees,  no matter their status in society, is promotive, preventive,  diagnostic,  curative,  palliative, and rehabilitative health care services without the beneficiaries suffering financial hardship in accessing health care services.

RIVCHPP's Executive Secretary used the occasion to appreciate and thank Governor Siminialayi Fubara for his pragmatic disposition of making functional the health insurance agency in the state, saying that with the functioning of RIVCHPP,  most Rivers residents,  especially those who are vulnerable,  can now access quality healthcare services without the burden of passing through financial hardship of any form.

On his remarks,  the Director of Medical Services/Ag. Permanent Secretary of Rivers State Ministry of Health,  Dr.  Vincent Nwachukwu,  who urged all Rivers residents to come on board RIVCHPP's programme,  as health insurance is the way to go globally,  said that it is a way of indirectly giving back to the society.

Dr. Nwachukwu urged the trainees to be serious with the training for they are expected to also train other personnel in their facilities for every personnel to be in tandem with RIVCHPP's goals and objectives.

Welcoming RIVCHPP and the trainees to Professor Kelsey Harrison,  the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Bright Ogbonda, who said that the training was long overdue, also encouraging Rivers residents to buy into RIVCHPP's programmes as he said that "health insurance is the only sustainable way to access quality healthcare services,  thanking RIVCHPP for bringing the training to Professor Kelsey Harrison Hospital.

Earlier in an overview of the workings of RIVCHPP and the objectives for the training,  the RIVCHPP Head of Health Services,  Dr.  Ireju Ajie,  reiterated that the essence of the training is to impart the needed knowledge to service providers to continue to give quality healthcare services to all residents of Rivers State,  no matter the part of the state they reside.

Dr. Ajie emphasised that the interest of the health insurance agency is to  ensure that everyone on its plan accesses both primary and secondary healthcare services within domains not far from where they live , thanking the participants for their rapt participation.