Civil Servants in the State have been urged to enroll promptly in the newly launched Formal Sector Health Insurance Scheme to benefit from healthcare services provided by the government.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche said this during the launch of Formal Sector Health Insurance Scheme which is aimed at providing accessible and affordable healthcare delivery to Abia Workers in Umuahia recently, noted that the event marks a milestone in the anals of history in Abia State and informed the audience that the initiative is a contributory payment scheme with the employee contributing 5 percent or less and the government contributing the remaining percent to ensure healthcare service delivery to State employees and their household who enrolled in the scheme.
Prof. disclosed that in the first 6 months of the scheme, workers would contribute only 2.5 percent of their basic salaries while government takes care of the remaining 2.5 percent, revealing that government has provided One Billion Naira as take off fund for the scheme. He said that the scheme is an effort to achieve a mileage in meeting up with the universal healthcare coverage and enjoined all civil servants to register without delay to enjoy the healthcare services.
He further said that the hearing aid speaks to the commitment of the government to partner with organizations to provide services, offer support to the people and develop the State and said that the free medical outreach would reduce the reliance on unqualified health practitioners, and emphasized the government’s commitment to partnering with organizations for improved health services across the State.
In addition, The Executive Secretary, Abia State Health Insurance Agency, Dr. Chiedozie Egwuonwu said that the initiative is a testament to Governor Otti’s unwavering commitment to providing affordable and quality healthcare to the people, particularly those in the public sector.
He emphasized that the scheme is designed to safeguard the health of government workers and their families, adding that, it would cover treatment for common healthcare and emergencies.
Earlier, the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti said that the vision for the healthcare delivery is to build a system that is dynamic and responsive to the needs of the local population.
Governor Otti, in his speech titled “BEYOND HEALTHCARE” reiterated his administration’s vision to ensure that no resident of the New Abia is denied healthcare due to financial constraints. He described the initiative as a triple-barrelled revolution in service delivery.
“The formal sector health insurance scheme will see tens of thousands of civil servants and their dependants enrolled for round-the-clock qualitative healthcare services at designated healthcare facilities in every part of the State”.
Unveiling the projects, the former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, commended Governor Alex Otti for his healthcare policies and congratulated him on priioritizing healthcare, saying that healthcare delivery is what led to the establishment of his Foundation, endorsing him as a visionary leader. He also advocated for specialized training in managing hearing aids.
He emphasized that one of the areas of interest of his Foundation is hearing and stated that hearing impairment is not a stigma but could be developed as one gets old. He made a case for the authorities to train a handful of men who can handle hearing aids and its related challenges.
The launch draw dignitaries and stakeholders, signaling a new era in healthcare delivery in Abia State. It also featured lecture on Prevention of Hearing Loss, Changing Mindsets, Empowering Yourself Through Sound Intervention Hearing Mission, So that Nigerians May Hear, was delivered by a Professor Emeritus of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Prof. Basil Ezeanolue.
