The Osun Government on Thursday enrolled inmates in the correctional facilities in Ilesa and Ile-Ife into the Osun State Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS).
Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun, who unveiled the enrollment programme at the Ilesa Medium Correctional Centre of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), described the inmates as bonafide citizens of Osun and Nigeria.
Adeleke said his administration does not discriminate based on political affiliation, tribe, religion, or gender.
“Today, we extend our healthcare coverage to inmates of correctional centres as a demonstration of our concern for the health and well-being of every segment of our society.
“In the past, our administration approved the free enrollment of over 26,000 pensioners into the scheme.
“This pace-setting gesture has been emulated by many states and, more recently, by the Federal Government£, he said.
The governor also said that persons living with disabilities had been enrolled in the scheme for free.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Health Insurance Agency, Dr Rasaq Akindele, appreciated the governor for the attention given to the development of the health sector in the state through the agency.
“This agency is successful today because the governor has given it tremendous support”, he said.
Also, the Controller of the Correctional Centre in the state, Olalekan Oluwadele, said the governor’s presence at the event was a testament of his commitment to the welfare of inmates.
Oluwadele said the governor had graciously approved the enrollment of 1,200 inmates into the health insurance scheme.
He explained that this followed an earlier discussion with the OHIS Executive Secretary in September 2024.
He also appreciated Adeleke for renovating the operational vehicles of the NCoS and for granting amnesty to 54 inmates in December 2024 to decongest the prison.
