The Executive Secretary and CEO of the Imo State Health Insurance Agency (IMSHIA), Dr. Uchenna Ewelike, has delivered a powerful keynote address on “Socioeconomic Disparities in Healthcare Access and Outcomes” during the Health Conference Week organized by the Faculty of Health Science Students Association (FOHSSA), Imo State University.
Themed “Breaking Barriers: Innovations and Collaboration for a Healthier Nigeria,” the conference, led by FOHSSA Director of Health, Ms. Ugochi Egeonu, convened key healthcare stakeholders, innovators, and students for strategic discussions and collaboration.
In his keynote, Dr. Ewelike emphasized that socioeconomic disparities remain a major barrier to healthcare access in Imo State, despite its high literacy rate of 98.2%. Citing WHO 2018 backed data, he revealed that over 90% of health-related expenditures in the state are paid out-of-pocket, a system he described as regressive, poverty-inducing, and detrimental to health equity.
He decried the reality that rural residents face greater health risks due to distance, cost, and limited access to functional facilities, in contrast to their urban counterparts. He stressed that socioeconomic status strongly influences health outcomes and must be tackled with deliberate policies.
Dr. Ewelike outlined IMSHIA’s ongoing interventions to close the healthcare access gap which chiefly included but not limited to:
1. The ImoCare program targeting informal sector populations.
2. A robust community health insurance initiative for rural dwellers.
3. An emergency referral system that ensures surgical response within 45 minutes no matter your location in Imo State.
4. Full enrollment of state civil servants and pensioners into the state social health insurance scheme.
5. Deployment of a homegrown provider payment model (i-DRG) and capitation-based funding to strengthen Primary Health Care and curb the “out-of-stock syndrome.”
He commended His Excellency, Distinguished Senator (Dr.) Hope Uzodimma, for his political will and unwavering support toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the state, especially the recent effort to enroll 2.7 million Imo residents into health insurance.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to health reform and equity, Dr. Ewelike was presented with an Award of Excellence by FOHSSA.
