The Imo State Health Insurance Agency ably led by Dr. Uchenna Ewelike has released the summary report of the first quarter (April to June) implementation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund in Imo State on the 10th of July 2023.
This was necessitated by the agency’s desire to ensure transparency and accountability in public fund utilization in line with the His Excellency’s directive to ensure fiscal discipline.
Contained in the first quarter implementation report as made public by the agency is a summary of the services and treatments rendered to the 66,003 persons enrolled on BHCPF across the 305 INEC wards in the 27 LGAs of Imo State.
Going by the stats 48, 597 persons out of the 66,003 enrolled on the scheme have visited the primary health centres and hospitals for primary and secondary health needs and used the service from April to June.
The program recorded 269 deliveries inclusive of deliveries through CS, 79 specialist interventions/surgeries and 8 deaths mainly due to old age. Local Governments such as Nkwerre and Ehime Mbano which had the highest number of persons who used the free health care program were because of the high level of awareness and increased patient-seeking behaviour as a result of the scheme. While LGs like Oru West and Owerri West had fewer number persons accessing and taking advantage of the ongoing free healthcare program in the state.
Additionally, given the impacts of this program, some health centres which were hitherto moribund are now alive and flourishing as a result of the level of activities and number of persons walking into these primary healthcare facilities to access free healthcare services daily.
Dr. Uchenna Ewelike the Executive Secretary/CEO of Imo State Health Insurance Agency has commended the governor of Imo State for providing the much-needed political will and technical capacity amid the tremendous results from the first quarter implementation of the program in the state as you may recall that Imo State since the inception of the BHCPF program has never commenced service delivery until the appointment of Dr. Uchenna Ewelike as the Executive Secretary of the agency.
The renowned Health Economist, Dr. Ewelike has also assured Ndi Imo of the effective implementation of the program because according to him ensuring value for money is at the centre of the agency’s implementation objective.
IMO STATE HEALTH INSURANCE AGENCY
