Ebonyi Govt released N100 million Counterpart Fund for State Health Insurance Agency

 

..urged Organized Labour  to key into the Scheme

From. Clement Nnachi (abakaliki)

 

 

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has released the sum of N100 million Counterpart Fund for the State Health Insurance Scheme (EBSHIS)

 

The Executive Secretary of the State Health Insurance Agency (EBSHIA) Professor Uzoma Agwu, made the disclosure in abakaliki the State capital on Wednesday during a 2-Day Sensitization meeting organized for Organized Labour Unions comprising Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Health Workers and Stakeholders.

 

The meeting has as it’s theme “Operationalisation of the Ebonyi State Health Insurance Scheme”

 

The Sensitization meeting was organized in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Integrated Health Programme (IHP) on the Insurance Scheme implementation .

 

Professor Agwu urged the Organized Labour in the State to key into the scheme assuring that apart from  Civil Servants benefiting from the scheme, it would change the situation in terms of Universal Health Coverage.

 

The Executive Secretary outlined the objectives of the meeting to include enhancing participants knowledge and understanding on the State Insurance Scheme in addition to sensitising  Labour Leaders towards ensuring effective implementation of the scheme among others.

 

Professor Agwu commended USAID Integrated Health Programme (IHP) for their partnership and support to the EBSHIS.

 

“USAID (IHP) has been strengthening Health Systems, Increasing access and improving Primary Health Care Services in Ebonyi State”

 

 

“For Ebonyi State to be qualified to get the Health Care Provision Fund Grant, Governor Umahi made a capital donation of N100 million ”

 

“Governor Umahi did that in making sure that the Health Care Provision Fund Programme get to the people”

 

The EBSHIS boss maintained that the State Chief Executive was interested in the Health of the people of the State .

 

In a remark, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress  (NLC) Ebonyi State Mr Leonard Nkah commended the EBSHIA for the initiative.

 

“,A lot of Seminars like this has been held. we say that a lot of things needs to be put in place, we can sign the Document to make this programme to start off”

 

“I am satisfied that nothing will delay the take off of the scheme by way of workers participation believing that the Governor has played his part”

 

Comrade Nkah stated that some of the grey areas has been resolved based on the percentage increase, 10 percentage deduction is still in line .

 

“We have been sensitising the Leaders of various Unions in seminars like this, in our meetings we have been urging them to be patient.

 

“Before the minimum wage, we told them we have to wait for the New Minimum Wage, because it is a percentage thing, you will not pay more than the percentage, no need delaying, we need to move ahead”

 

In a Lecture titled “Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency (the Journey So Far), Professor Uzoma Agwu described the scheme as Social Health Insurance that is geared towards helping the people of the State.

 

“The EBSHIS was established by Ebonyi State House of Assembly Law  No 012 of 2018, it is a Legal Entity,”

 

Participants at the meeting were drawn from Heads of Primary and Secondary Health Care Institutions. Heads of Associations, and Representative of Private Hospitals among others.