Anambra State Government is to Flag-off Implementation of Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, April First.

The Executive Secretary, Anambra State Health Insurance Agency, Dr. Simeon Onyemaechi disclosed this during the orientation of Healthcare workers for the implementation of the programme at Professor Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka.

Health Correspondent, Chibuzor Okoye reports that following the successful registration of twenty eight thousand, two hundred and forty six poor and vulnerable Ndi Anambra into the National Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, the Anambra State government is to commence full implementation of the programme from April first, 2021 across the State.

According to Dr. Onyemaechi, all beneficiaries of the National Healthcare Provision Fund in Anambra state will start receiving medical services cost-free from April first, 2021 in the State and showered encomiums on Governor Willie Obiano for paying the State’s counterpart fund as at when due.

The Executive Secretary said that Anambra, is one of the first seven States in Nigeria that have paid counterpart funds for poor and vulnerable citizens to benefit from the scheme, which he said is geared towards achieving universal health coverage.

Earlier while declaring the event open, the Anambra state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Vincent Okpala, said the essence of the orientation exercise was to teach all the Officers in Charge of the implementation of the programme, what is expected of them during the exercise.

Dr. Okpala who advised the participants to take the orientation exercise seriously, warned that the State Ministry of Health in conjunction with Anambra State Health Insurance Agency has mapped out a pragmatic strategy to discipline and sanction every defaulter, even as he commended Governor Willie Obiano for according serious priority to the State’s Health sector.

One of the participants, Reverend Sister Helen Okoli from Maternal and Child Health Clinic, Orumba North Council Area assured that she will use the knowledge garnered at the orientation exercise to function optimally and effectively.

 

The Healthcare service providers were drawn from the twenty-one Local Government areas of the State.

Present at the event include the permanent secretary, Anambra state ministry of health, Mr. Linus Nwankwo among others.