Board of Ebonyi Health Insurance Scheme not dissolved - Umahi

 



-Pledges to reposition health sector, others in Ebonyi

Governor David Nweze Umahi described as lies the rumour making the rounds that the Board of the Ebonyi State Health Insurance Scheme has been dissolved.


 Governor Umahi made this statement on Tuesday in Abakaliki during the flag off of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and State Health Insurance Scheme held at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki.


Umahi  who was emphatic of the rumour over the alleged 'dissolution of the board,' said, 'none of such has been done.


He pledged commitment of his government to pursue universal health coverage for all Ebonyi people and other residents of the state.


His words: "My government has pledged to do our best among other things in the delivery of healthcare for all Ebonyians and residents of the state in line with the universal coverage of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

"My brothers and sisters, in our aggressive pursuit for universal health coverage for all Ebonyians and residents, we have not failed to align with the visions of the Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency in providing quality, affordable and accessible healthcare for all residents of Ebonyi State. We seek to achieve these objectives in a trasparent and accountable manner. To achieve this, we have set up a robust and dynamic ICT platform which ensures that most processes in our insurance scheme is automated."


Speaking further, Umahi said: "In Ebonyi State, we have demonstrated strong commitment towards attaining universal health coverage first by passing the Ebonyi State Health Scheme Law in 2018 and setting up the Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency in 2019.


"As at June 2021, Nineteen Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty (19,160) vulnerable persons across the 171 political wards of Ebonyi State, have been enrolled and awaiting validation. These include pregnant women, elderly persons and children under 5 years currently enjoying services from private under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund disbursed through Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency to primary healthcare facilities spread across the 13 local government areas (LGAs) in our state of Ebonyi."


He pledged to work with all relevant stakeholders in the state and the Federal level to ensure well-equipped, functional and responsive Health Centres in each of the 171 wards in the state. 


Other dignitaries at the event include the Executive Secretary of Ebonyi State Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. Uzoma Maryrose Agwu, representatives of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the USAID among others.


He went on to appeal to the representative of the USAID to assist the newly established King David University of Medical Sciences to be self-funding within the next one year. The Governor also announced that the University will be taken off full academic activities on or before September 2021.


Meanwhile the Board Chairman of the  State Health Insurance Scheme, Chief Godwin Ogbaga has highly commended the Governor for having made the flag off a memorable one. 



Ogbaga said that Govenor Umahi has made available the relevant facilities which resulted in the flag off of the program, and noted that this would spur the agency to do much more in the state while encouraging Ebonyi people to make good use of the opportunity.