How Eno is extending health insurance scheme to rural communities in Akwa Ibom

Governor Umo Eno is expanding access to healthcare services to rural communities of Akwa Ibom State. One of the ways this is being achieved is through the state health insurance agency, a social security system that guarantees the provision of needed health services to persons on the payment of a token contribution at regular intervals.

The latest beneficiaries are the people from the pristine communities of Amadaka, Elele and Kampa located at the tip of the Atlantic Ocean tributary in Eastern Obolo local government area of the state who trouped in large numbers to the Primary Healthcare Centre located at Amadaka to get enrolled for the exercise under the facility-based registration exercise.

Launched last year, the state health insurance scheme, since its establishment was informed by the inadequate condition of the state’s health healthcare services, the excessive dependence and pressure on government provided health-facilities and the dwindling funding of healthcare in the face of rising costs.

The poor state of the healthcare services has seen the state government declare a state of emergency in the health sector to fix it within a year and turn things around with plans to recruit over 2000 health workers, ongoing renovation of health facilities and the decision to recall healthcare professionals who have retired from service but have the eagerness to continue to contribute in the state.

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It has also moved to stop government-owned hospitals from being turned into theatres for social media content creation, an ugly development which had been a recurring decimal of late with people sharing videos of patients online over alleged negligence. The state government has now warned that “any individual who violates the rights and privacy of patients or staff members or disrupts public peace, will be held accountable.’’

So, analysts believe the health insurance scheme has come at the right time to enable people have access to efficient and effective healthcare services to reduce “catastrophic health expenditure by pooling funds for strategic health care purchasing.’’

According to community leaders in Amadaka, the scheme has brought healthcare closer to the people and has helped to cut down their expenditure on healthcare while lauding Governor Umo Eno for the vision over the health insurance scheme.

Gogo Owen Adaka, the village head of Amadaka, believes taking healthcare services to the people at the grassroots as seen in the health insurance registration exercise taking place at the community’s health centre is a remarkable achievement by the governor noting that members of his community would no longer have to worry about high cost of healthcare, ‘’we are happy that we can access healthcare with minimum cost in our community,’’ he said.

Echoing the sentiments expressed by Amadaka’s traditional ruler, another community leader, Benjamin Adolphus, a royal father in Kampa said the good intentions of the governor have been seen in the health insurance scheme adding that by bringing the registration exercise the community’s healthcare facility, the governor has shown his large heartedness and brought healthcare nearer to the people.

“I have benefitted from the scheme, it is a commendable effort, he has brought development to the rural communities, we have seen the intention of the governor, he has a good heart,’’ he said.

The royal father was however quick to remind the governor about the Okoroette-Elele-Kampa road whose contract has been re-awarded adding that the completion of the road would open up the once thriving community known for fishing and its rich maritime resources.

“In addition to healthcare , the governor should do well to continue the work on the road linking the riverine communities with the different parts of the local government area,’’ he said..

Igbemi Arthur Igbemi, a medical doctor and an indigene of the community notes the peculiar topography of the area which is in the thick of the mangrove swamp forest region but expressed delight that despite the challenging topography the governor was after excellence in service and people who can deliver on his promises who could be found anywhere.

According to him, the governor has raised many people and “I am one of them,’’ promising to do whatever is needed to support the governor’s development agenda particularly in the health sector.

Igbemi, who is the Executive Secretary of the state Health Insurance Agency, noted the idea of facility-based enrolment was his contribution to the community who may not be in a position to travel to the agency’s head office in Uyo, the state capital for the registration adding that the response by the people has shown their readiness to embrace the scheme and their demonstration to support the governor’s development agenda.

“I would not be somewhere and something is happening that would positively affect the people of my community, I would certainly bring it to my community,’’ he said.

Indeed, the health insurance has had tremendous patronage across the state since its inauguration with thousands of people registering for the scheme including pregnant women, the elderly and many others.

During its launch, the governor announced the subscription for all the junior workers in the state’s civil service, paying for them and later the senior civil servants have been enrolled bringing the formal sector into the scheme.

After the registration, contributors and their dependents are issued with identity cards with Personal Identification Numbers which will be presented to the chosen primary healthcare provider for treatment.

For the people of Amadaka, Elele and Kampa in Eastern Obolo and Iko clan of Eastern Obolo Local Government Area, it is a golden opportunity which they have embraced wholeheartedly.