Health Finance for Governance dialogue with DG CRSPHCDA on State Healthcare Insurance Scheme

Technical Working Group (TWG) for the Cross River State Health Insurance Scheme was inaugurated by His Excellency, Senator Prof Benedict Ayade who was represented by the state deputy Governor, Prof Ivara Ejemot Esu at the Deputy Governor’s office, Calabar. The Deputy Governor who expressed the Governor’s sincere gratitude for the support shown by the partners especially USAID HFG to the Ayade Care Project and the government/ people of the Cross River state assured them that His Excellency, Sen Prof Ben Ayade, is very passionate about the bill and will do everything to make the bill work for the benefit of Cross Riverians who don’t have access to medical treatment due to low income or no fund at all. 

Health Finance and Governance team later paid a courtesy visit to the Director General of CRSPHCDA, Dr Betta Edu in her office were she was brief on steps the organization have taken so far in pushing the State Health Insurance lae and the success of the core implementation team headed by the Honorable Commissioner of Health RD. Speaking, the Head of Health Finance for Governance, Mr Sylvester Akande who was in company of the state coordinator of HFG said for the scheme to be successful appropriate measures like increase in manpower, resources and fixing of decaying infrastructures in health facilities must be fix. He said the organization was 100℅ sure with filling of those gaps the scheme will be successful.

Responding, Dr Betta Edu said with the setting up of core implementation team and the technical working committee, more technical ideas will be develop and used as framework for a successful implementation. 

Government has began revitalization of health infrastructures in place but a lot more still needs to be done. many health facilities have been rehabilitated and more will be rehabilitated under the one functional PHC per ward policy of the state. We have also employed the services of medical doctors across the PHCs in 18 LGAs to boost quality of healthcare delivery and the state Governor, His Excellency, Sen (Prof) Ben Ayade will is very optimistic and has seen the need for the Agency to also employ services of more health workers in various specialties for health facilities across the state said the DG. 

Finally the DG intimated the organization that the Agency had earlier sensitized communities and held town hall meetings across the 18 LGAs assuring them that AYADECARE is widely accepted by the people who need quality health care.

The DG was confident that if the process is transparent and accountable, then they would be buyin by everyone in the state and the state will be able to achieve universal health care.