By Jennifer John
Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma has flagged off the enrollment into the federal government’s Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) for Imo people.
Speaking during the flag off, Uzodimma said pregnant women, children under five years, the elderly and physically challenged Imo state citizens will be enrolled in the coming weeks to benefit from the programme.
Uzodimma assured that the enrollment would ensure access to quality health care, irrespective of status but that the focus of the first phase was on the vulnerable persons in the state, stressing that only those registered in the programme will benefit from it.
The Commissioner for Health Dr. Bartholomew Okorochukwu in his address said the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund BHCPF was set up to protect Nigerians from the adverse effects of financial shocks arising from very high payment for health care services. Okorochukwu commended Governor Uzodimma for keying into the initiative through the State Health Insurance Agency in collaboration with the state Primary Health Care Development Agency and National Health Insurance Scheme in commencing the first phase of a state- wide enrollment exercise for eligible persons who are under the vulnerable group.
The state coordinator, National Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Uchenna Ewelike who was represented, explained that the NHIS, is saddled with the responsibility of fund disbursement to all the states, especially the provision of basic healthcare funds, technical support, accreditation, enrollment and validation to the states.
He disclosed that in 2021, 4 million people nationwide are targeted for the recently flagged off group, Individual and family social health insurance scheme (GIFSHIP) with Imo state contributing 111,574 persons in addition to the enrollment of vulnerable persons into the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund BHCPF.
The Executive Chairman of State Health Insurance Agency, Dr. John Onyeokoro and his counterpart in the state Primary Health Care Development Agency, Rev. Sister Maria Joanes Uzoma called on good spirited wealthy citizens to support the programme by helping to pay for more indigent people from their communities as it should not be left alone for government.
