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In a move towards affordable health care, the Akwa Ibom Health Insurance Agency has set a target of 500,000 enrollees by next year to expand access to healthcare services to people across all sectors and to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure in medical care.
Already, it has over 165,000 people who have enrolled in the scheme which began operations in October last year after it was launched by Governor Umo Eno under the Arisecare programme.
Edikan Ekwere, a medical doctor and chairman of the state health insurance agency made this known while addressing the media as part of activities to mark this year’s Universal Health Coverage Day celebrations in Uyo, the Ibom State capital.
Ekwere who is also the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Umo Eno on health insurance said the agency has recorded tremendous progress cutting across the formal, informal sector and the vulnerable populations.
According to him, the milestone reflects “our growing reach and the increasing confidence of the people in the scheme,” adding that the state government has made “significant investments in healthcare through the construction, rehabilitation and revamping of primary and secondary healthcare facilities across the state.”
“While we have made commendable progress, more still needs to be done as we work towards our daunting target of over half a million enrollees by the end of next year,’’ he said.
He explained that enrollment would guarantee access to quality healthcare services and protects families from the burden of out-of-pocket expenses adding that the agency would continue to do more “buoyed by the trust of the people and the strong support of the governor to ensure that no resident of Akwa Ibom State is left behind in accessing quality healthcare.
“As we markef the 2025 Universal Health Coverage Day, we call onall stakeholders, community leaders and residents to join hands with us in promoting enrollment and awareness.
“Together, we can achieve our shared goal of equitable, affordable and accessible healthcare for all in Akwa Ibom State,”
He lauded Governor Umo Eno for the support to the health sector describing him as healthcare friendly adding that through implementation of the Akwa Ibom health Insurance Scheme, financial risk protection has been strengthened and access to healthcare expanded across the state.
‘“Universal Health Coverage remains a top priority of the government of the day. It is not merely an aspiration but a deliberate policy direction backed by an unwavering dedication to service embedded in the Arise Agenda of the governor,” he said.
He also commended the commissioner for health, Ekem Emmanuel John, a medical doctor, for the dedication, strategic leadership and commitment to strengthening the healthcare system of the state by supporting the effective implementation of the health insurance scheme.
Answering reporters’ questions, Igbemi Arthur Igbemi, a medical doctor and the Executive Secretary of the agency explained that achieving universal health coverage was not the duty of the agency alone adding that it involves collaboration with all sectors of the health system.
Igbemi explained thst since 70-80 percent of the people that would need healthcare services reside in the rural areas, meeting the health needs of the people remains the responsibility of the primary healthcare development agency.
He said strengthening the primary healthcare centre which is supposed to be in every ward of the state as being done by Governor Eno would go a long way in achieving universal health coverage.
“If we don’t have strong healthcare facilities, well equipped and properly manned, to handle the cases, people would not have access quality healthcare. We need the primary healthcare development agency, we need the collaboration of all stakeholders in the health sector to achieve universal health coverage,’’ he said.
