Business
Abia unveils Health Insurance scheme for civil servants
The Abia State government says it has introduced Health Insurance Scheme for Abia workers to provide access to affordable healthcare services.
This is in addition to the ongoing “Ekwueme healthcare project”, designed to construct 200 primary health centers(PHC’s) across the 184 wards of the state , which has reached about 60 percent completion.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu disclosed this while briefing the press on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by governor Alex Otti.
He explained that the insurance scheme is one of the health schemes that underscores the high premium the administration places on the health sector.
“A scheme that will grant Abia workers, and indeed Abia citizenry, access to affordable healthcare services upon commencement,” he said.
Throwing more light on the importance of the Insurance scheme, the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche declared that the Health insurance Scheme is a noble project and a bold move to improve healthcare delivery for those in formal employment in Abia state together with their dependents.
He said the governor has already approved the sum of N1bn to support the project, adding that the sum of N500 million would be paid in the first instance and after six months, the balance of N500 million would be released to support the project.
“The Abia State Health Insurance Scheme is meant to address the healthcare needs of workers in Abia state,” he said.
“Now, to move it further and ensure that workers, in formal employment in the state enjoy affordable access to quality healthcare, the health loving governor of Abia state has directed that there shall be a sensitization programme for about 3 months round all the ministries to ensure that civil servants get to understand how beneficial this project will be.
“As you all know, the basic healthcare- provider fund, which provides for the vulnerable groups, is already on . As we speak over 54,000 enrollees in that basic health insurance fund, are already benefiting from the scheme.”
He explained that by law, every civil servant is supposed to contribute 5 percent of his basic salary to the insurance scheme, whereas the state will contribute 10 percent but the governor has approved that the state will pay 12.5 percent to start with for the first 6 months, whereas the civil servant will contribute 2.5 percent.
On public Water supply across the state, Kanu announced that the Ministry of Power and Public Utilities is making progress as regards water projects, disclosing that some water projects embarked upon are at various levels of completion.
Said he, “I want to inform you that the water project they embarked upon at Aro Ajatakiri is 100 percent completed. The others at Aro Achara in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government and at Umuetigha Nvosi in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area have reached advanced stages of completion.”
Kanu added that the Ministry has made progress with the Water Supply and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) Programme that involves the construction of modern toilet facilities in order to discourage open defecation.
He further hinted that construction work is ongoing at Okigwe Park in Umuahia, Umuwaya in Umuahia North , Tower in Umuahia and at Umuoba road by Total filling station in Aba, amongst other places.
On the ongoing exercise for the recruitment of about 5,000 teachers in the state school system, Kanu made it clear that the recruitment portal was reopened on the 8th March and will be shut down on the 12th. He explained that reason for reopening the portal was to give fresh opportunities to some of the applicants who had issues with the upload of their bio-data, phone numbers,LGA’s and other necessary information.
The commissioner further used the opportunity to announce that Governor Alex Otti has approved the appointment of Dr Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Mereibeole, as a Special Adviser to the governor on Projects.
Kanu narrated that Dr. Mereibeole retired recently from the Federal Ministry of Aviation as a Permanent Secretary and had served as Chief Policy Adviser to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, adding that Dr Mereibeole amongst other duties would oversee the Abia Airport project.
