Anambra State government has reassured of commitment toward improving the health system in the state through reforms targeted at enhanced quality service delivery across hospitals in the state.
Governor Willie Obiano, represented by his deputy, Nkem Okeke, said this while receiving a team of EU interventions in health system strengthening at the Government House, Awka.
The project is part of the EU/Nigeria cooperation aimed at improving quality health information for policy decision-making, including robust public health emergency response system.
The governor assured that his administration would be proactive in doing the needful in the healthcare system of the state, and called for more resources from EU, World Health Organisation (WHO) and other foreign donors.
While thanking Anambra citizens for adopting the Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme (ASHIA), Obiano said the scheme had continued to make life easier.
He noted that people now go to the hospitals to receive services, without paying huge sums for it. They are expected to settle 10 percent of the total treatment administered on them.
The governor commended EU, WHO and state government-backed Healthcare agencies for their efforts, saying that there was need to protect people from diseases and promote better living.Earlier, commissioner for health, Vincent Okpala, noted that the EU delegates were in the state to monitor and access the level of impact recorded by the project, saying they would evaluate its achievements and seek further opportunities in order to strengthen the healthcare system in Anambra.
He said the team was in the state in 2017 to carryout scooping mission, whereby gaps were identified in the state health system, on which interventions were made.
The commissioner, however, pledged that Anambra would continue to perform better in its health system, especially with the support of EU and WHO.
Head, Health, Nutrition and Resilience Section of the EU delegation, Counsellor Montserrat Pantaleoni commended the state’s numerous achievements in the health sector, saying: “Anambra is leading in Nigeria’s health system.’’
She noted that this formed the decision in selecting Anambra as one of the pilot states, along with Sokoto State.
The counsellor pointed at data collection, as an important area of the project.
“Data will be collected at state and federal levels, in order to produce a good picture of the happenings in Nigeria’s health system.
“We are going to the field to review the outcome of the project, which after evaluation, we will identify how the state and EU can further work together,’’ Pantaleoni said.
Health adviser, EU delegation to Nigeria, Anthony Ayeke, pledged the team’s willingness to align with state government initiatives toward progressing its health sector.
“We are here to support government and not to replace or displace government resources, we will complement what government is doing,’’ he said.
State coordinator, WHO, Chukwumuanya Igboekwu, commended the state’s political will and reform mindedness, which he said attracted EU to Anambra.
“An excellent example of reforms is Anambra Health Insurance Scheme, it is testimony to reforms that can actually work and is working in the state,’’ he noted.
Igboekwu described the health registry as a development tool supported by EU partnership, which would give an arm’s view of the state health force and identity gaps.
The visit featured presentation by the State Ministry of Health on some of the pillars that EU is supporting and the overall progress made on the project.
