The Cross River State Health Insurance Scheme has issued its eighteen thousand subscribers medical access cards to receive quality services in all the primary healthcare delivery centres.
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The wife of the governor of Cross River State, Dr. Linda Ayade flagged off the distribution of the cards signifying the commencement of access to quality health services in the state.
Dr. Ayade described the health insurance scheme as the best thing for Cross River State, saying “I am the happiest person to see the take-off of this scheme, which had suffered delay several times.”
She assured that the Ben Ayade led administration would strive to sustain the scheme, and appealed to those yet to partake in the policy to subscribe at a monthly cost of 1,000 naira only.
90 days wait
Earlier, the Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr. betta Edu disclosed that medical cards for free access were ready to be distributed to eighteen thousand people registered on the scheme.
Edu, who is also the Chairman of the Cross River State COVID-19 Task force, explained that the insurance covered all medical conditions and urged citizens to enroll.
She noted that since access to health services would commence after 90 days, it was imperative for more people to enroll for the scheme rather than shy away.
According to the commissioner, “the scheme was flagged off and the first set of people that have registered – 18,000 people – for the scheme would start receiving care. They go to their chosen primary healthcare delivery centres for their cards and start receiving care. So, whatever the person’s case is, the person will be treated free of charge.”
“Those, who are to start receiving, have done their 90 days. Labour leaders, traditional leaders, are all involved. We have printed over 18,000 cards for those people that have registered,” Edu said.
The Commissioner hinted that from January 2022, the Ministry of Health would introduce a monthly raffle draw where enrollees were guaranteed to win One million naira monthly.
She said, “Every person is to pay N1,000 in order to benefit from the scheme tagged ‘Ayade Care’,”
Universal coverage
Also speaking the Director General of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Janet Ekpeyoung urged the organized private sector to key into the scheme as part of efforts to achieve universal coverage.
She said, “government alone cannot finance health; and health is one of the fundamental areas of our lives. And that is why health insurance gives us the opportunity to strengthen our health system.
“If we must achieve universal health coverage, then we must have access to quality health care. That is exactly what the governor, Senator Ben Ayade is doing,” she said.
It would be recalled that the scheme was passed into law by the State House of Assembly in 2016 and flagged off in 2020 to encourage enrolment at the grassroots.
