Enugu State Government has commenced the enrolment of vulnerable persons to benefit from the basic healthcare provision fund, releasing over N358 million programme fund.
Speaking at the event which took place at the Enugu state agency for Universal healthcare premiises on Monday, Enugu state Governor , Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said that the “National health Act 2014, created the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund(BHCPF) dedicated to supporting the effective delivery of primary healthcare services of Basic minimum package of health services (BMPHS) and emergence medical treatment to all Nigerians especially vulnerable persons.
Represented by the deputy governor, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo, Ugwuanyi noted that the State’s second strategic health development plan, 2018-2022, which is steering the state’s healthcare system towards ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being of the populace at all ages, midwifed the establishment of the Enugu State Agency for Universal Health Coverage (ESAUHC)in 2019.
The agency drives the universal health coverage scheme in the state and has responsibility for collaborating with other healthcare and social care-related agencies and development partners in to the state ,to get the numerous benefits and services of the Basic Healthcare Provision Find (BHCPF )down to the people’s.
Ugwuanyi said that the state “government is eager to see that the people of the state benefitted maximally from the lofty programme of the the BHCPF and has therefore moved swiftly to give the Enugu state agency for universal coverage , all the moral and material support needed for the timely and satisfactory fulfilment of its mandate .
“Accordingly, the sum of N353,703,120.80(Three hundred and fifty-three million , seven hundred and three thousand , one hundred and twenty niara,sixty ko of) was swiftly released to the agency as programme fund in addition to the release of an operational fund of N 5,957,105.19(Five million , nine hundred and fifty- seven thousand, one hundred and five niara, nineteen Kobo).he said.
According to the governor, vulnerable persons to benefit from the programme are people who have been captured in any of the databases adopted by the national health insurance scheme, such as the national social register, the national bureau of statistics and the state ministry of Gender affairs’ database of vulnerable persons.
He said that the formal enrolment of the registered vulnerable persons by ESAUC is a pre-condition for the disbursement of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund to primary healthcare facilities in the state .”It is this enrolment that would enable the vulnerable persons to have free access to the basic minimum package of health services at State healthcare facilities.
” The healthcare of our people is very important to this government because a healthy population is a happy productive, dependable and vibrant one .
“Healthcare is also one of the key components of the administration’s right -point development agenda, which His Excellency is dealing with every seriousness’, he said.
Governor Ugwuanyi called on all the peopleconcerned administrative units, agencies, traditional rulers and towns union to work together to the success of the enrolment exercise.
In her speech, the Executive Secretary/ CEO of the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS), Prof. Mohammed Nasir Sambo said that ‘the Universal Health Coverage(UHC) is a top priority on the global health agenda, as well as an integral part of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), which many Nations , including Nigeria are pursuing vigorously for the benefit of their citizens.
‘This explains why the attainment of UHC is a leading component of the Health Sector Next Level Agenda of the administration bof president Muhammadu Buhari in his determination to unlock the full potentials of all Nigerians.
“As you are aware, the government of Nigeria signed the National Health Act into law in2024, in response to the unacceptably poor health outcomes in the country.
“tThis important legislation provided the earmarking of not less than one percent of the ConsolidatedRevenue Fund(CRF) of the federal government of Nigeria to improve the health of all Nigerians, especially the vulnerable population among us.” he said.
Sambo, who was represented by the South East coordinator of NHIS, Pharmacist Chinasa Ahumma Agunobi said that the Universal HealthCare was launched on 8th January, 2019 by president Muhammadu Buhari.
“In accordance with the express provision of the National Health Act, the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS), is expected to receive fifty percent of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) for the purchase of care for enrollees under this programme..
“We are pleased to report today, that the scheme commenced the implementation of this statutory assignment with the disbursement nof N13.31 billion to 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) which fulfilled the requirements for inclusion. The Honorable minister of Health ,Dr Osagie Ehanire had performed the disbursement of funds on the 10th of September,2019 in Abuja,”
The NHIS boss disclosed that “NHIS shall provide State A gencies with technical and operational support, especially in the area of training technology and programme development…to enable them to take their places in the rapidly changing landscape of health insurance in the country towards the attainment of Universal Health Coverage by 2030.”
He added that the NHIS has developed and started implementation of a ten- year plan that is guaranteed to facilitate the achievement of Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
State’s Commissioner for Gender Affairs, Hon. Peace Nnaji commended the state government for implementing the Universal Health Coverage program in the state.
On her part, the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Agency for Universal Health Coverage, Dr Edith Olailo thanked governor Ugwuanyi for establishing the agency and promoting health care in the state. She said that the Universal Health coverage programme is free for the vulnerable while others will pay for services received..
She said that the basic minimum package of health service included health education for prevention of diseases, primary care surgery, primary care paediatrics , primary care internal medicine (adult/, primary care mental health management among others.
In an interview, House Committee chairman on health, Hon. Sam Ngene ,applauded the efforts of the state government in bringing healthcare services closer to the people.
He said the state government took the development of the healthcare in the state seriously, hospitals were upgraded , Isolation centres built and .
adequate preparations were made to fight the spread of COVID-19 in the state. He urged people to continue observing the COVID-19 protocols.
The lawmaker also encouraged people to take the COVID-19 vaccines, saying that he had taken his first jab and there was no side effect.
