The Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA) has reviewed and validated data on health insurance coverage for people living with HIV and tuberculosis (TB) as part of efforts to strengthen access to healthcare for vulnerable populations.
The exercise was conducted during the agency’s second-quarter data validation meeting with Global Fund programme managers, monitoring and evaluation officers, implementing partners and other stakeholders in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
The meeting focused on reconciling data from Global Fund-supported health insurance activities in the state and identifying gaps requiring further action to improve enrolment, coverage and access to healthcare services.
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Addressing participants, the Executive Secretary of ASHIA, Dr Augustine Ezeka, commended stakeholders for their contributions and urged them to intensify efforts to expand health insurance coverage for eligible people living with HIV and TB.
Dr Ezeka stressed the need to ensure that no eligible beneficiary was excluded from health insurance coverage or access to essential healthcare services.
The Global Fund Focal Person, Mrs Ogochukwu Mbonu, presented the action plan for the validation exercise and described the meeting as an opportunity to review findings, clarify observations and ensure that reported data accurately reflected programme activities.
Mbonu disclosed that enrolment had increased significantly, attributing the growth largely to the field National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment exercise, which facilitated the registration of eligible beneficiaries.
She urged stakeholders to strengthen community awareness and intensify sensitisation efforts to further improve enrolment and access to health insurance services.
The Global Fund Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Miss Assumpta Ejikeme, presented an overview of the implementation of the Fund-supported health insurance programme for people living with HIV and TB under ASHIA.
Participants at the meeting included representatives of Global Fund-accredited health facilities, implementing partners, programme managers, monitoring and evaluation officers and other relevant stakeholders.
The exercise forms part of ongoing efforts to improve the quality of programme data and strengthen health insurance coverage for vulnerable groups, particularly people requiring sustained HIV and TB-related healthcare.
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