Chidiebube Okeoma
The Imo State Government has disclosed that a total of 66,003 people are enjoying health insurance policy in the state.
Executive Secretary of the Imo State Health Insurance Agency, Uche Ewelike, explained that the policy was meant to ensure that all citizens and residents have access to quality healthcare services.
Ewelike commended the state Governor, Hope Uzodimma, for approving the commencement of the health insurance policy.
He said, “From Mbaise to Mbano, Owerri Municipal, Orsu, Okigwe, Nwagele, Oru East, Mbaitoli, Nkwerre, Oguta, Ngor Okpala, Orlu, Ohaji and Egbema, to the 27 LGAs in Imo State. We now have 66,003 people accessing free healthcare through the Imo State Health Insurance Agency since April 3. This is bringing quality healthcare services to the doorsteps of the people of the state. History will be kind to him.”
Meanwhile, researchers and health experts say making healthcare affordable and accessible in rural communities with effective payment system could lead to a significant decline in a range of infectious and non-communicable diseases.
They noted that healthcare can only be affordable when people don’t have to pay out-of-pocket whenever they are sick.
According to the researchers in a Stanford-led study, establishing health centres closer to the people makes healthcare accessible and also responds to the health needs of the community when the payment system is flexible.
The Stanford-led study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed multidisciplinary scientific journal, examined the impact of affordable healthcare and accessible payment system.
According to the study, in response to the needs of the local community, a non-profit organisation was formed and a health clinic was established.
The hope was to reduce deforestation while improving health in the community.
The researchers evaluated deforestation rates in the national park 10 years after the opening of the clinic, which operated under a non-traditional payment structure.
It provided discounts to people from villages that demonstrated community-wide reductions in logging, and it accepted barter as payment in the form of tree seedlings, handicrafts, and labour.
Under that alternative payment system, the clinic, according to the researchers, treated more than 28,000 people over 10 years, and the community saw a significant case decline in a range of infectious and non-communicable diseases.
Lead author of the study, Dr. Isabel Jones, said, “An analysis of health records from the clinic over the 10-year period found significant case declines in several diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis and diabetes.”
Jones also said some results defied regional trends. “For example, cases of tuberculosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease had increased in the region over the 10-year period, but declined significantly in communities served by the clinic.”
Reacting to the study, Secretary General of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Philip Ekpe, told our correspondent that, to make healthcare affordable in Nigeria is to make it in such a way that people do not have to pay from their pockets at the time they are sick.
Ekpe, who is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, said health insurance was key in providing affordable healthcare, while calling on the state government to contribute its quota to health insurance.
He said, “The state government should be committed to health insurance and make it work. If governors make commitment to health insurance in their states, it will make a difference.
“Budget for health should improve at the federal and state levels to at least 12 per cent. That is, 12 per cent of the annual budget of every state should go to health. Also, 12 per cent of the national budget should go to health though 15 per cent is the target.
“But what we have seen so far is around six per cent. So, our budget for health needs to improve at the federal and state levels for us to have affordable healthcare.
“Again, I think that apart from National Health Insurance Scheme, primary healthcare and universal health coverage, we should look at other sources to make healthcare affordable.
“For example, a percentage of earning from Value Added Tax should be invested in healthcare.
“Some per cent of money realised from taxes on alcoholic drinks and tobacco should be invested in healthcare also. These measures will certainly improve healthcare and make it affordable.”
Ekpe also noted that literacy is very important, stressing that literacy brings about positive health-seeking behaviour.
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