By: PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
The Commissioner for Health in Akwa Ibom State, Prof. Augustine Umoh has hinted of a healthier population in the state through the health insurance scheme recently introduced in Nigeria.
This follows the state government’s commitment to key into the scheme after signing the Health Insurance Bill into Law in December, 2021 ahead of the global target of achieving health for all by 2030.
Prof. Umo gave the assurance in Uyo, the state capital, when he declared open a five-day training workshop organised by National Health Insurance Authority for staff members of the State Health Insurance Agency which ended on Friday.
The health insurance scheme is expected to provide Basic Minimum Package (BMP) of healthcare services at the primary healthcare centres as well as referral to secondary healthcare facilities
Expected to draw funding from the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, the state government is to make a counterpart funding of 25 percent while the federal government will support the scheme with 75 percent of the fund.
Umoh who pledged the readiness of the state government towards its success said it would greatly improve access to healthcare services in the state as the challenge of finances would be reduced describing “the future of health insurance as bright the state.”
The Commissioner, tasked the participants of the training workshop to make the best use so the state could leverage on their knowledge and skills acquired and from many other training that would be held.
Speaking, official of the National Health Insurance Authority, Mr. Agboola Olasunkanmi said the training followed a request by the Akwa Ibom State Insurance Agency as a result of the gaps identified during a study tour of the state insurance agency.
Olasunkanmi who scored Akwa Ibom high in her preparedness said the health insurance scheme is facility-based for equitable access by all, especially the vulnerable group in the society.
“Akwa Ibom State is in a better position to get the programme right. The scheme is facility-based and the National Identification Number (NIN) will be the criterion for enrolment.
According to him, the next step after the training will be the accreditation of health facilities that will participate in the scheme which he said would be followed by enrolment of the beneficiaries.
Speaking also, the Executive Secretary, Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Agency, Dr Author Igbemi, said the training was an indication of the strong collaboration between the state insurance agency and NHIA which he said was to ensure the success of the scheme in the state.
He commended the state government for the programmes being implemented to ensure universal health coverage in the state.
Earlier, the state coordinator of NHIA, Williams Ebiokobo said though health insurance was relatively new in the country with the revised guidelines recently unveiled in the country, he stressed the need to put all hands on deck for its success.
“The concept of health insurance is relatively new but we have a few experts here and there, there is nothing wrong in having to draw from their own expertise.” He said.
Commenting on the benefits of the five-day training, a beneficiary, Mr Idongesit Edikan Ackley said he has benefited significantly from the training, described it as a capacity pack.
According to Ackley, the workshop would open the State Health Insurance Agency to arrays of protocols and guidelines which the Agency will explore and see ways of improving upon its mandate in the state.
He added that the universal health insurance coverage is achievable in Nigeria, while the best way of attaining it, is through the health insurance scheme.
New Nigerian observed that the 1st and 2nd stages of the scheme in the state, which are setting up of the office/staffing and human capacity building have been achieved. Next is the accreditation of the health centres to be carried out by National Health Insurance Authority before enrollment of beneficiaries who will include the vulnerable groups such as elderly, children under the age of five, pregnant women among others.
Recall the State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) during her October’s Congress, had commended the state government for establishing the State Health Insurance Agency and cueing into the scheme to benefit the populace, in view of the enormous advantages in healthcare service delivery.
The congress advised the agency to step up the sensitization campaign so that more persons could be enrolled into the scheme, while also appealing to the state government to ensure the functionality of the Agency to play the expected role in healthcare delivery.
