State Council on Health meeting ends in Uyo BY NSEOBONG DAVID

Elder Friday Iwok addressing the meeting 

The Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health yesterday held its 8th annual council on health meeting.  The event which had as its theme: “Financing for Universal Health Coverage (UHC): The role of Health Insurance”, took place at the Civil Service Auditorium, State Secretariat Complex.

The chairman on the occasion and the Chairperson, House Committee on Health in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Elder Friday Iwok gave an opening remark on the occasion.  In his remarks Elder Iwok thanked the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ememabasi Bassey for organizing the council on health meeting, he also thanked the Directors in the ministry and other staff of the ministry for their team work in salvaging the health sector, and promised to advocate for the passage of the bill for the establishment of health care management board and bill for maternal and child health by the State House of Assembly, in order to check quackery in the health sector.

The Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ememabasi Bassey who spoke in his welcome remarks, acknowledged the presence, contributions and supports of distinguished health personnel and partners in the health sectors.  He expressed gratitude for the privilege given him to speak in the 8th council of health meeting.  He disclosed that Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is an in-thing reigning worldwide, which has to do with providing accessible, affordable and quality healthcare without causing untold hardship.  

He added that healthcare is expensive, and emphasized the need for individuals to contribute in the form of health care, especially the Health Insurance Scheme (NIS).  He pointed out that the 8th council on health meeting is being marked by the dreaded ebola virus disease, saying that the ministry would put every measure in place to contain the scourge by setting up a surveillance of screening site, especially at the Akwa Ibom International Airport and training health personnel on how to tackle and prevent contact and spread of the ebola virus disease.  

He hinted that they have taken delivery of personal protective equipments against the ebola virus if the need to use them arises, and reiterated the need to raise public awareness on the contact and transmission of the ebola disease.  He debunked rumours raised on the incidence of the disease in the State, saying that media reports on the presence of the disease in the state are mere falsehood, and should be disregarded, as the disease is not in Akwa Ibom State at the moment.

Dr. Bassey stressed the need for the passage of a bill by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to stop the importation of corpses into the state, until such corpses are duly certified by appropriate authorities, so as to curb the importation of the disease in the state.

A representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Sylvester Agwai thanked the honourable commissioner for health for the warm reception given him in the state and promised to partner with the Health Minsitry to improve on the health of the people of the state.  He also emphasized the need to learn more about the ebola disease and to create awareness on the information that would lead to good practices that would reduce the transmission of the disease in the state and the nation at large.  In the same development, the Permanent Secretary, Hospital Management Board – Mrs. Ekereobong Akpan thanked the commissioner for reviving the state council on health meeting, and added that financing health is an equal an equaling task, hence the need to ascertain the role of the communities in financing health in the state.

The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr. Femi Thomas who was represented by Pharm. Chinyere Nduaka presented a Lead paper on the theme: “Financing for Universal Health Coverage (UHC): The role of Health Insurance”, majoring on the “gains of National Health Insurance Scheme”.  According to Dr. Thomas, National Health Insurance Scheme is a Federal Government Parastatal established under Act 35 of 1999, which is saddled with the mandate of providing easy access to healthcare at affordable cost to Nigerians.  They embark on the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to ensure promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health.  

He congratulated the executive governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio for using the instrument of health insurance to cover his people, and called on all to come in partnership to move the health of the citizens to greater heights.

Highpoint of the event was an interactive session where answers were given to questions raised by the participants.  In his response the honourable commissioner for health, Dr. EmemAbasi Bassey highlighted some factors which militate against quality health services in the state to include lack of political will, lack of medical doctors in the LGAs, and promised that some measures shall be put in place to salvage the situation.