20th December, 2020
The Anambra Government has announced plans to enroll no fewer than 28,245 less-privileged persons into the state’s health insurance scheme.
Dr Simeon Onyemaechi, the Executive Director, Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA), disclosed this during a risk communication training on the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Awka on Sunday.
The training was organised by the state ministry of health for selected staff of the ministry.
Onyemaechi explained that the project will be funded from the state’s quota of the Federal Government’s Basic Healthcare Provision Fund Programme of the National Health Insurance Scheme.
According to him, the fund is mapped out for the vulnerable citizens of the state.
He called on the 326 Ward Health Development Committee Chairmen in the state to submit names of the less-privileged indigenes in their areas.
The executive director said officials must ensure that the beneficiaries are indeed less privileged before registering them.
“It is essential for pregnant women, who cannot afford to pay their hospital bills during antenatal care and child delivery as well as children under five years and elderly persons,” he said.
“We believe that this will cut down on the number of women who die yearly during delivery as a result of unprofessional care.
“All the beneficiaries of the BHCPF must have a National Identification Number (NIN), which is one of the criteria for the registration,” he stressed.
Onyemaechi advised those who would benefit from the scheme to enroll for NIN at their various Local Government Areas or any bank of their choice.
He said that the enrolment will commence on Jan. 4, 2021.