Abia State Government introduces Health insurance scheme

Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Ogun state government and the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji has signed into law the National Health Insurance Scheme as an executive bill after signing an MoU with the National Health Insurance Scheme in the State. The governor also directed that the State's workforce be integrated into the health scheme as other workers.

Governor Orji stated this at the Government House in Umuahia when he received the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Health Insurance Scheme, Femi Thomas during his advocacy visit to the State. The Governor maintained that his administration has a two-point agenda in the State, comprising security and health. In addition, he said that the State Government has invested a lot of resources in the two sectors which has earned the State lots of awards as a result of successes recorded. He also promised the provide the agency with a landed property to develop and build their office in the state.

In his statement, the Executive Secretary of the Health Insurance Scheme, Femi Thomas disclosed that 98% of the federal workforce have been covered in the National Health Insurance Scheme, maintaining that the scheme will in 2014 roll out a programme for pupils in public primary schools in the country, estimated to cost N48 billion per year.

He commended the Governor for the giant strides he has made in the State, especially in the health sector, pointing out that Universal Health Coverage must be covered in 2025. He further appealed to the Governor to avail the State the opportunity offered by the National Health Insurance scheme.