In its effort to deliver improved health insurance services to the people, the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) pledges to work together with other health institutions to close identifies gaps in the state’s healthcare delivery system, just as it decries inadequacies in some of the state’s health facilities
By Edu Abade
The Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) has charged staff and team members of the health insurance agency to always work together to close whatever gaps that may exist in the agency’s drive to give Rivers’ residents quality and affordable healthcare services.
Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of RIVCHPP, Dr. Vetty Agala, who visited some Model Primary Health Care Centres (MPHCs) across the state, reiterated that every single person in RIVCHPP remains important towards realizing the vision and goals of the agency,
Dr. Agala, who made the remarks at the Day three opening of the Agency’s leadership training for staff in Port Harcourt, on Thursday, July 9, 2026, urged all participants to be open to point out whatever shortcomings they may have noticed, saying that there is no organization without constraints.
She stressed that every single person in RIVCHPP was important as each individual’s contributions feed into the overall success of the agency’s operations, maintaining that the essence of the training is to objectively look at whatever challenges each team member is faced with in the work process so as to proffer possible solutions to them.
Dr. Agala described RIVCHPP as a progressive and upwardly moving organization, which is ready to help those willing to be helped to improve, wishing all participants a great time.
It would be recalled that the staff training started on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 with management team, then on Wednesday with heads of units and the remaining team members on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
Meanwhile, in its desire to always provide top-notch services for its enrollees, RIVCHPP has decried the attitude of health workers who are mostly at their duty post.
Agala, who identified the lackadaisical attitude of some health workers as part of the challenges faced by the social health insurance agency in the state, stressed that for enrollees of the agency to get the promised quality healthcare services, then health workers need to be alive to their responsibilities.
The RIVCHPP boss, who was represented by Mrs. Goodness Enyindah, made the observations when she led a team of the agency on a quality assessment visit to some selected health facilities in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.
In the course of the quality assessment visit, the RIVCHPP team identified several challenges that continue to impact the quality and efficiency of service delivery.
In its avowed desire to always provide quality healthcare services to its enrollees, RIVCHPP dissuaded health facilities from engaging in practices that do not conform to modern health practices, promising to continue to pay capitations and fees for services promptly.
In spite of the challenges observed in the course of the visit, the visit also revealed notable improvements in access to healthcare services in several communities.
According to the team lead, this positive outcome is largely attributable to the innovative stance of the state health insurance agency.
The visit highlights the need for sustained investment by the relevant authorities in strengthening the healthcare workforce to improve service delivery.
The team used the opportunity of the visit to encourage healthcare facilities to support RIVCHPP in intensifying enrollee mobilization and registration to increase their capitation, which will ultimately lead to enhanced capacity and provision of sustainable quality healthcare services.
The first lap of the visit took the team to MPHC Mbuosimini, MPHC Rumuolumeni, MPHC Rumuepirikom and MPHC Rumueme.
