The Commissioner for health in Cross River State Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk has made known the decision of the State to inaugurate an independent team, who’s duty will be to examine the spending of the State public health facilities from the primary, secondary to the tertiary facilities that benefit from the funds.
During the constitution of the team in Calabar Cross River State capital, Dr Ayuk stated that the reason for the formation of the team is to put in check the misappropriation of capitation from both Federal and State Health Insurance gateways.
Dr Ayuk stated that part of his duty as the Chairman of the Insurance Agency is to ensure adequate management of Health Insurance Resources, he charged the 8 member team to leave no stone unturned in discharging their duty and help the State sanitize the Health sector.
As a guide to the smooth operation of the task , the Commissioner listed ways to execute the job which Includes determining the total capitation and fee for service received from the Federal and State Health Insurance gateways, determining the level of utilization by beneficiaries in the various facilities, determining reason for underperformance, determining the level of conformity of programs with the scheme’s regulatory guidelines concerning the Federal and State gateways.
Also identifying the means and ways of jumpstarting the Health Insurance service implementation the commencement of the informal sector, identifying other existing barriers or practices affecting Public Finance Management and recommending an effective structure for efficient implementation of the Federal and State gateways of Health Insurance.
The 8 member team which were selected ranging from the Civil Society, Private Sector, Medical Field, Academia, Health Financing Stakeholders, and Financial Experts gained the trust of the Commissioner in executing the job effectively, and it’s expected that by a period of one month they should submit their report to the Ministry dictating anomalies affecting Financial Management in the Public Health Sector and suggest ways for remedy.
Thanking the Commissioner for finding them worthy to carry out the task , the Chairman of the team Dr. Bassey Ibor on behalf of the other members promised to put in all it takes and pursue it’s objective with vigor and diligence to better the Public Health for the good of the State.
