Executive Secretary, Osun Health Insurance Agency, Dr Rasaq Akintunde Akindele on Tuesday sworn members of the Ethics and Research Committee of the Agency with the aim of transforming the agency into an academic environment where journals will be published on a monthly basis.
Members of the committees include; Dr Yemi Adeyemo from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Teaching Hospital who is to serve as the chairman of the committee while Dr Biodun Akindele from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) is to serve the secretary of the committee.
Other members of the committee are Dr Olarewaju Sunday from Osun state University and Mr Oladejo Abiola from LAUTECH.
While speaking at the inauguration program which took place at Osun Health Insurance Agency (OHIS) Office in Osogbo, Osun State Dr Akindele noted that basis for setting up the committee for Ethics and Research in OSHIA.
He said “Osun health insurance Agency was established by act of Parliament to take care of the social health insurance of the residents of Osun state, it has its own law and so far since 2018 we’ve been soaring higher and higher.
“But we know this is an evidence based time in anything that we do, if we say Osun health insurance Agency has been performing well, what are the indices of this good performance? So we must have statistics that we would show to the world that this time last year we are at this level, now we are at this level, and that means we’re improving.
“And also, we should also be part of solutions to government in the community, if we can identify problems, and we say we need to consult a research to find solution to this problem and what would be the basis for us to present whatever we want to present to the government or any other stakeholder.”
Akindele further stated that there should be an academic map, because nothing stop OSHIA from publishing 20 papers in a year.
“That would be in the credit of this agency. So from identifying research areas, those who have relevance on the community and see what we can do.
“For research to be done, it has to be ratified, that it’s going to bring the desired results to the researchers and to the society that the research is being done.
“So there’s every need for an ethical committee to be founded by the Agency, so that’s the reason for us coming together to bring eminent scholars who have been distinguished in their various field to this committee”, he stated.
The Executive Secretary then urged members of the committee to begin work immediately and ensure that the purpose of the committee is achieved while reiterating that the management are trying to bring development patners to OSHIA and Osun in general.
In an interview with newsmen, the chairman of the committee, Dr Yemi Adeyemo who spoke on behalf of the members emphasized that their service is to deliver, and they will ensure they meet target.
“As the chairman and I am speaking on behalf of all the members of the committee, our expectations is service. We are called to come and work and deliver their mandate.
Dr Adeyemo affirmed that the committee will work with terms of reference and make sure that the set target is achieved so that at the end of the day, the mandate of coming on board to serve the state is delivered in the interest of the masses of the state.
