The Akwa Ibom state health Insurance scheme has so far enrolled over 24,000 persons less than two months after it was launched to provide affordable healthcare services to all categories of people as part of the Arisecare programme of the state government.
The establishment of the scheme is said to have been informed by the dwindling funding of healthcare in the face of rising costs, poor integration of private health facilities in the state’s healthcare delivery system and the the excessive dependence and pressure on the government provided healthcare facilities as well as the inadequate condition of the state’s healthcare services.
The Executive Secretary of the Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Agency, Dr. Igbemi Arthur Igbemi, who made this known in an interview said the agency has concluded plans to accredit private healthcare facilities to be part of the scheme adding that more than 20 private healthcare facilities were being assessed and would be accredited soon.
“As at the time we did the launch, we had 11,000 people who had enrolled, but as we speak now, we are about 24,000 enrollees, so we have enrolled more than 12,000 people. They just completed the second phase of enrollment. People are actually calling us for the enrolment,
“If you are coming as an individual, you pay N18,000 , for a year but if you are more than ten in number as a group, we will reduce the money to N17,000 per year, but is your are coming as a family, you will pay N96,000 for a family of six and if you break it down, you realize that you are actually paying N16,000, just to encourage people, that was the idea of the governor,
“Currently we have opened up for the private medical facilities and we have more than 20 private health facilities showing interest.
“We would go and assess these facilities, for primary level services, secondary level services, if they qualify, we will give them accreditation for one year,
“Interest is high, we are working with them, before this year runs out, I am sure, we would been done with the accreditation so that private healthcare facilities would start the services
“While enrollees have to make a down payment for themselves or family members, those in the vulnerable group including pregnant women, physically challenged individuals and the elderly people above 60 years have access to the healthcare services free of charge.
He said the state government has paid its counterpart fund for the basic healthcare development fund set up by the federal government which has enabled those under the vulnerable group to have access to free healthcare services.
“The governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has paid the counterpart fund to be able to capture more, he has given us funds from the counterpart fund so we can draw that money to capture more from the fund.
“But those who are coming in as private individuals or groups, they have to pay for the services, you pay us before we enrol you and you have to wait for sixty days before you start assessing the services.
He said the selected primary healthcare centres and the General Hospitals accredited to the scheme are paid captation for the services rendered adding that the agency plans to expand it to over 80 primary care centres across the state.
“We are using six primary health centres across the state for the pilot scheme,the primary healthcare operational base in Ikot Ekpene, Eket, Oron, we are using the General Hospital in Ikot Ekpene Udoh, General Hospital, Iquita, General Hospital, Eket .
“We have accreditation for 80 primary healthcare centres, at least each local government has two.the operational base plus one but we intend to go for more.
Highlighting the success story of the scheme, Dr Igbemi said that apart from making healthcare services affordable and accessible, two ladies have been delivered of their babies under the scheme , one was by Caesarian Section making it a laudable achievement as the lady did have to make any payment.
“Providing insurance for the people by making it mandatory is the way to go because the huge cost of healthcare would drag our people to poverty if nothing is done. The money saved can used to train children in school,
“It will help in the Arise Agenda of the state government, in terms of rural development, and it will help to reduce maternal mortality because people die not because they don’t know what to do, but because they don’t have the money, it is actually going to improve the wellbeing of the people and for a government, it is going to improve the quality of lives of the people.”