Coco-Bassey Esu|14 July 2016|8:02AM
Cross River Ministry of Health yesterday 13 July presented proposed State Health Insurance Scheme during the Health Care Financing Core Diagnostics Stakeholders' Meeting held at Money Suites in Calabar.
During the presentation of the proposed State Health Insurance Scheme, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr (Mrs) Inyang Asibong posited that the state Health Insurance Scheme is in tandem with the state Health Policy which is intended to build capacity in health care financing towards the achievement of universal health coverage through health care financing model.
In her words, Dr Asibong said 'As equitable access to quality health care continues to accupy the policy agenda's of His Excellency, Senator Prof Benedict Ayade, the state ministry of Health is saddled with the responsibility of reconfiguring and strengthening the health system to align with the objective of universal health coverage. This is to bridge the presently identified gaps and meet the protected health needs of Cross Riverians. Of course, this will require political, financial and technical commitment from government, stakeholders and development partners through increasingly the proportion of budgetary allocation to health care. There is also need for a required flexible architecture to deal with inequities in health care results and outcomes to successfully implement health care reform'.
The Commissioner assured that the state government shall continue to provide assistance to vulnerable groups in the community particularly pregnant women, aged and children under the age of 5 to ensure social and financial protection.
The Director General, Cross River Primary Health Care Agency, Dr Betta Edu in her address said, State Health Insurance Scheme (SHIS) will complement Government's vision for high quality, accessible, efficient and patient-centered care for all citizens.
Earlier, in the introduction to the overview of the health financing core diagnostic presentation, the state programme coordinator, Health Finance and Governance, Mr Ibiam Azu Agwu said Health Care Financing (HCF) and State Health Insurance Scheme will create a platform for continuous effective networking that will encourage individuals to register in the health scheme.
Coco-Bassey Esu
Is the media aide to the Honourable Commissioner for Health, CRS
