By Chisom Okafor
For more than 50 people in Anambra State, access to healthcare has received a boost following the sponsorship of their enrolment in the Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme (ASHIA) by Dr. Celestine Ezekwe.
The adoption exercise, held on Sept. 23, at Dr. Ezekwe’s residence, involved sponsoring the health insurance enrolment of the beneficiaries and providing them with information on how to use the scheme.
Representing ASHIA, Mr. Izuchukwu Ogbaji sensitised the newly enrolled beneficiaries on the benefits available to them, the services covered under the scheme and the importance of maintaining active coverage. He also encouraged them to seek clarification whenever they needed assistance.
Under the ASHIA Adoption Model, individuals, organisations and philanthropists can sponsor health insurance enrolment for people who may otherwise struggle to afford the cost of coverage. The model provides a practical avenue for private support to complement the State’s efforts to expand health insurance coverage.
The initiative aligns with the health vision of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, whose administration has identified affordable and quality healthcare and expanded health insurance coverage as important components of its health-sector agenda. The State Government has reaffirmed its support for ASHIA’s drive towards Universal Health Coverage, while ASHIA continues to develop enrolment approaches aimed at reaching different groups of residents.
The exercise, therefore, brought together two elements: Dr. Ezekwe’s sponsorship of coverage for more than 50 people and ASHIA’s responsibility for enrolling and orienting them on the scheme, giving the beneficiaries a clearer understanding of how to access the healthcare protection for which their coverage provides.
Chisom Okafor is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
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