27th September, 2018
Dr Chinagozi Adindu, the Executive Secretary, Abia State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, says the state government has concluded plans to launch Basic Healthcare Provision Fund to revitalise the primary healthcare sector.
Adindu, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Umuahia, said that the fund was expected to be launched early next month.
He said the fund, which would be launched by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, was part of Federal Government’s measures to improve healthcare services in the country.
According to him, the fund will enable people to have access to free medical services at primary health care facilities.
The executive secretary said that the project would be assisted by the World Bank, the Bill and Melinda Gates and other donors agencies.
He added that Abia was among the six pilot states selected for the project, explaining that “in
the 2018 budget, Federal Government, in line with Act number 11 of the National Health Act, complied and accepted to be paying one per cent of the consolidated revenue into the fund.
“Abia has met all the conditions. We have paid our counterpart fund of N100 million.
“It is a programme that will help us to access fund directly from Federal Government.
“The money goes straight to the health facility, not to the state or the local government, so that there will be no interference.”
He said that the agency had already set up ward development and ward management committees to make sure that various communities bought into the project.
As part of the measures, the executive secretary disclosed that the agency had decided to rehabilitate and upgrade at least one health centre from each each of the 292 wards before the end of the year.
He further explained that those that would enroll in the state health insurance scheme would access the services freely from any of the accredited 292 primary healthcare centres.
“You don’t need to pay any money, the health insurance will pay. Just register and have your health insurance identity card and go to a nearby centre out of the accredited ones. It is for everybody,” he maintained.
He commended Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for his efforts towards the development of primary healthcare sector in the state.