Abia govt approves health insurance scheme for civil servants

Abia State Government has approved the formal rollout of Abia State Insurance Scheme for civil servants in the State.

The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu disclosed this Thursday in Umuahia while briefing the press after this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti, stating that the insurance scheme would enable the civil servants enjoy medical services from service providers and informed that government has provided 500 hundred million Naira counterpart funding for the scheme.

Prince Kanu, who said that all the civil servants are supposed to enroll in the scheme, added that the Governor has decided to provide 2.5 percent of the workers to encourage them to enroll in the scheme, adding, “By this development, all the state civil servants are supposed to enroll in the scheme. In his usual compassionate manner, His Excellency has agreed to provide a 2.5% contribution for the workers who need to enroll in the scheme for the first three months.

“Usually, they’re supposed to contribute 5 percent from their basic salary every month but His Excellency has agreed to pay 2.5 percent of that instead of 5 percent to encourage them to enrol in this scheme”.

The Commissioner informed that the State Government has approved comprehensive upgrade and remodeling of Abia State University Teaching Hospital, ABSUTH Aba to a befitting medical institution. He said the remodeling is in line with the Governor’s transformation agenda in the health sector.

He further announced that the Abia State Specialist Hospital has regained its Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria’s accreditation status for the training of medical interns. He said the accreditation came with an increase in the training quota from 24 to 36 such personnel. He described it as a major milestone in the health sector which the Ministry of Health is appreciative of.

Prince Kanu used the opportunity to announce that the 2024 Cancer Awareness creation for Abia State would be held within the week, disclosing that the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Priscila Otti would be the keynote speaker on the occasion with the theme “The Changing Face of The Enemy: Reducing The Rising Prevalence of Cancer in Abia State” and which would feature advocacy walk, lectures and free screening for cervical and breast cancer as well as HPV vaccination.

On power, the Commissioner said that the rehabilitation of the vandalized power installations at the old and new secretariat Ogurube Layout has been completed and would be commissioned next week by the Governor, informing also that under the Light up Abia Initiative of the government, the installation of solar lights is ongoing in more than 28 locations across the three senatorial zones. He said that the idea is that by the yuletide almost every part of the state will enjoy solar light at night.

He added that the road infrastructure agenda of the State government would receive a boost by the 25th of November as the Governor would flag off the construction of the Ntigha-Mbawsi-Umuala road located at Isialangwa North LGA, stating that state Ministry of Works has completed four new maintenance projects across the state through direct labour.

Answering questions from newsmen on the Health Insurance Scheme, the Commissioner for Health Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya said that having commenced the contribution, employees of Abia State Government would start accessing the services in 3 months.

He said employees of government are entitled to 4 dependants in addition to their spouses, adding that modalities are being worked out to accommodate persons in the informal sector.

The Health Commissioner also announced that Governor Otti has approved funds for the upgrade of the Amachara General Hospital to a world-class hospital, pointing out that government is using an integrated approach from primary to tertiary health care to make it accessible to citizens, especially the vulnerable group.

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