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By Emmanuel Adeleke
The Oyo State Health Insurance Agency (OYSHIA) has expressed its readiness to partner and collaborate with the University College Hospital (UCH) on research.
The Executive Secretary of OYSHIA, Dr. Sola Akande, disclosed this while receiving a delegation from UCH, led by the Head of Department, Health Policy and Management , Dr. David Adewole, at Secretariat, Ibadan, on Monday.
Akande, who stressed the need to partner with the department on publishing research papers in international journals, vowed to put OYSHIA on global pedestal.
“Health and education are the pillars of human development. Therefore, the idea of collaboration in this area is a very welcome development,” he said.
He said the agency is prepared to partner with the department on development of its staff members, admonishing the delegation to also consider other innovative ways of tackling the issue of dilapidated structures at the institution.
Earlier, Adewole said the department is proud of the agency’s achievements in promoting the state’s health insurance policy.
He commended the OYSHIA boss for what he has been able to achieve in the health insurance sub-sector of the state, which he said aligns with the vision of UCH’s Department of Policy.
“We are proud of your agency. OYSHIA is performing and often times we listen to the radio about how you break down the importance of health insurance to a simpler form,” he said.
The HOD however expressed concern over the fate of those currently undergoing programmes in at the university, as most of the structures are currently dilapidated.
He, therefore, appealed to OYSHIA to consider partnership with the department, as it has a multiplier effect on the state and the health sector.