The Gov. Umo Eno-led administration says the state health insurance scheme will come on stream in June to enable Akwa Ibom people to have easier access to healthcare services.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Augustine Umoh, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo on Friday while speaking on the government’s achievements in the first year in office.
Umoh said that the essence of the scheme was to lift the burden of exorbitant cost of healthcare services from families.
He said that the governor remained quite passionate about the health and well-being of the people.
“This is clearly evident in the governor’s primary healthcare programmes across the state.
“The health insurance scheme will be a long term intervention aimed at giving our people access to healthcare services.’
“The processes leading to the inauguration of the health insurance has been concluded.
“A bill to establish the scheme has been passed, and the Executive Secretary of the Agency has been appointed.
“The health insurance scheme will benefit everyone, especially the vulnerable and the poor in the society; they will register and pay a token to access the facilities.
“We are currently accrediting health supervisors and other personnel that will manage the scheme.
“In the long term, people can be able to walk in to such facilities and access healthcare once they have been registered in the scheme,” Umoh said.
The commissioner said that Eno had built new primary healthcare centres in some parts of the state.
He said that the centres would be fully equipped to take care of the healthcare needs of Akwa Ibom people.
“Recently, we inaugurated a well-equiped model primary healthcare centre at Ikot Nkwo in Ibesikpo, Asutan,” he said.
He added that the governor’s intention was to replicate the model primary healthcare centres across the 10 federal constituencies of the state.
“The governor is passionate about the health and welfare of the people; you can see that clearly on the way he has handled the primary healthcare sector.
“The governor has undertaken a complete review of the primary healthcare system. Just recently, we inaugurated a well-equiped model primary healthcare at Ibesikpo Asutan.
“That facility has solar lights and staff quarters to ensure effective service delivery. Thus, will be replicated in other parts of the state.
“Let me even tell you that about 12 of these model centres are already being built across the state,” he said.
The commissioner further said that the governor had approved the recruitment of 200 health workers in the state.
“The essence is to provide manpower for effective service delivery to the people,” he said.(NAN)
By Isaiah Eka
