By Chisom Okafor
The Anambra State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA) in expanding access to affordable, quality healthcare and advancing the goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for Ndi Anambra.
The Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, gave the assurance on Aug. 13 when the Executive Secretary of ASHIA, Dr Augustine Ezeka, and his management team paid him a courtesy visit at his office at the Light House, Awka.
Dr Ibezim said healthcare remained a major priority of the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, stressing that the administration was committed to ensuring that residents have access to affordable and quality healthcare, which is essential to improving their wellbeing.
He commended ASHIA for its efforts to expand health insurance coverage and improve the benefits available to enrollees.
“I like the way ASHIA is expanding its benefit package, and I am pleased with your administration so far,” the deputy governor said.
Responding, the Executive Secretary of ASHIA, Dr Ezeka, expressed appreciation for the government’s continued support, describing the agency he inherited as a strong and well structured institution.
“Upon my resumption to office, I met a robust and well structured agency, which means I have a big shoe to fill,” he said.
Dr Ezeka highlighted some of the initiatives being implemented to extend health insurance coverage to more residents, including market based enrolment, tertiary institution enrolment, coverage for private school teachers and the Isusu model for roadside traders.
He said the initiatives were designed to reach different segments of the population, making health insurance more accessible to residents, particularly those working in the informal sector.
The ASHIA boss appreciated Governor Soludo for his continued investment in the health sector and support for the agency, assuring that the agency would remain focused on expanding coverage and improving access to affordable healthcare.
He reaffirmed ASHIA’s commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to ensure that more Ndi Anambra are brought under health insurance protection as the state pursues Universal Health Coverage.
Chisom Okafor is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
