Osun pensioners laud Adeleke over free health scheme

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

Pensioners in Osun State have commended Governor Ademola Adeleke for enrolling about 20,000 retirees into the state health insurance programme, saying the initiative has significantly improved access to medical care and reduced deaths among them.

Speaking with journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday, the State Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Comrade Lawrence Aina, said pensioners across the state are now benefiting from the Osun Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS), particularly those who previously earned between N350 and N750 monthly pensions and could barely afford treatment.

Aina noted that the additional N25,000 support approved by the state government, alongside the health insurance coverage, has brought relief to retirees and improved their wellbeing.

He, however, appealed to the government to expand the scheme to cover full surgical costs, noting that while the programme handles full payment for minor illnesses, patients undergoing surgery still pay a percentage of the cost.

Aina also urged Adeleke to implement pending pension-related circulars and sustain the healthcare initiative, assuring him of their continued support and prayers.

The union also praised OHIS management for providing a free borehole at the pensioners’ secretariat after complaints about a faulty water facility, describing the gesture as evidence of government responsiveness.

Also speaking, a retired teacher, Comrade Ayodele Olusegun, who appreciated the gesture of the governor, said he now spends less than N7,000 monthly on healthcare compared to the high costs he incurred previously.

Another retiree, Oyewusi Asifat, who is also an NUP trustee, said the health insurance scheme had eased his access to medical care since retiring in 2003, when he earned about N3,500 monthly as pension.