Health Insurance Scheme: AKSG Pays N180m Counterpart Fund

By Bassey Nkponam
UYO
In its bid to enable civil servants in the state to benefit from the Health Insurance Scheme, the Akwa Ibom government has approved the payment of N180million counterpart fund to enable the initial enrollment of 9,150 civil servants of Grade Level 1-6, on the Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Scheme (AKSHIS).
The State governor, Pastor Umo Eno, who announced the approval for the payment Friday, at the official launch of the scheme, tagged, “ARISECare,” in Uyo, the State capital, said the gesture was borne out of his determination to be intentional about investing in Akwa Ibom people and ensure access to quality healthcare, especially for the vulnerable and people in the rural areas.
Eno expressed happiness for the launch of the scheme in the State which was in line with his social contract with the people and the aspirations of his administration’s ARISE Agenda.
He congratulated Akwa Ibomites who have already subscribed to scheme, and commended the handlers for working hard to bring the programme to fruition, while also acknowledging the strides recorded in the primary healthcare sector since his assumption of office.
Eno announced the move by his administration to complement the health insurance scheme with an ambulance service with the acquisition of at least one ambulance for each of the 10 federal constituencies, six of which, he said, has already been delivered.
The governor expressed the high expectations of government on the functionality of the scheme in catering for the healthcare needs of Akwa Ibom people, urging the agency in charge to publish the accredited health centres and to take steps to ensure a robust pharmaceutical service, especially for the primary healthcare sector.
Eno stressed the need for the agency to exude optimum credibility and probity, as his administration will be interested in ensuring funds sunk into the scheme was judiciously spent for the purpose.
The director and chief executive officer of National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, lauded Pastor Umo Eno-led government for launching the scheme in the State, describing the initiative as critical for the Universal Health Coverage, which is a major component of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.
The commissioner for health, Professor Augustine Umoh, said the scheme will go down in history as one of the critical people-oriented achievements of the present administration, thanking everyone that turned up to make the launch successful.
Giving an overview of the scheme, the chairman of the Agency and Senior Special Assistant to the governor, Dr Edikan Ekwere, said the scheme is to ensure that all residents of Akwa Ibom State have access to efficient and effective health care services to reduce catastrophic health expenditure by pooling funds for strategic health care purchasing.
According to him, an individual can enroll with N18,000, N96,000 for a family of six, while group registration of more than 10 people will be N17,000 to access basic medical services at the primary healthcare centres.