A delegation from the Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS) has embarked on a four-day study tour of the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA) to enhance service delivery in the FCT.
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The team, led by FHIS Acting Director Dr. Salamatu Belgore, is in Anambra to observe ASHIA’s operational model and explore strategies that could be adapted to improve healthcare financing and access in the FCT.
Speaking before their departure, the Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, emphasized the need for the delegation to maximize the opportunity and gain valuable insights for service improvement.
In a statement by the Public Relations Officer FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS), David Barau, Dr. Fasawe described ASHIA as one of the best-performing health insurance agencies in Nigeria, noting that its success had attracted visits from several state social health insurance schemes.
On arrival in Awka, the FHIS team was received by the Managing Director/CEO of ASHIA, Dr. Simeon Onyemaechi, who welcomed them and provided an overview of Anambra’s innovative health insurance model.
Dr. Onyemaechi highlighted ASHIA’s independence from Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), explaining that the agency directly manages funds while the government handles staff salaries.
He noted that this financial model had helped ASHIA achieve financial stability, with over 200,000 enrollees benefiting from the scheme.
Dr. Onyemaechi further revealed that the FCTA delegation was the 14th state team to visit ASHIA and the largest to date, underscoring the growing interest in the agency’s approach.
Dr. Belgore commended ASHIA’s achievements and reaffirmed the FCT Administration’s commitment to leveraging the insights gained from the visit to strengthen health insurance services in the territory.
She assured that the delegation, which includes experts from ICT, marketing, operations, planning, research, monitoring, and public relations, would conduct a thorough assessment of ASHIA’s strategies.
The study tour will feature facility visits, operational briefings, plenary discussions, and hospital inspections, with findings to be presented to key decision-makers for possible adoption in the FCT.
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