Anambra inaugurates members of Health Insurance Agency

A 13 – member Governing Council of Anambra State Health Insurance Agency has been inaugurated for proper health services in the state.

The Council has its Chairman as Dr Philip Umezoke and the Secretary as Mr Emmanuel Ezeoke, alongside other members including the Commissioner for Health, Dr Josephat Akabuike, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Ifeatu Onejeme and Dr Eric Anazodo representing the State Chapter of Nigeria Medical Association.

Others were Mrs Chisom Uche representing the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Mr Anselm Obi representing the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists, Comrade Benson Jibike representing Organized Labor,

Mike Opia of Civil Society Organisations, Mrs Chinasa Añunobi for National Health Insurance Scheme as well as three others representing the three senatorial districts of the state.

Inaugurating the Council, at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, the State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano said the “beauty of the scheme is that it will help ensure that many people

who ordinarily would not have used the services of health facilities even when they are sick due to lack of funds, will now be able to access quality medicare at no cost.”

Governor Obiano noted that the Council would among other things, assist in selecting health facilities to be accredited for use under the scheme, saying that the next step was the upgrade of the facilities.

He said the various health institutions which his administration had ensured their accreditation would yield the health manpower for the scheme.

The Governor urged the Council to immediately speedy action to devise strategies on how the scheme would be sustained and assured that his government would with immediate effect, provide the initial N200 million required to kick start the process.

Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu who noted that the scheme was part of the institutional reforms which the present administration had brought to the state health sector,

said the scheme came about as a viable option for addressing the burden of health financing militating against effective healthcare delivery in the State.

Responding, the Chairman of the Council, Dr Umezoke while describing the scheme as evident to the governor’s love and concern for the health of Ndi Anambra, expressed gratitude to him for finding them worthy to serve

the state in that capacity and gave the assurance that they will deliver. Formal inauguration of the Council by the governor formed the highpoint of the event.