Posted on: Mon 09-12-2024

Abia State government has approved N500 million as counterpart funding for the public servants’ health insurance scheme.

The Information Commissioner, Okey Kanu, who announced this after the State’s executive council meeting, urged all government workers in the state to enrol in the scheme.

He hinted that the state would provide 2.5 per cent of the five per cent required to register in the scheme for the first three months.

“Usually, workers are supposed to contribute five per cent from their basic salary every month but the governor has agreed to pay 2.5 per cent of that instead to encourage them to enrol in the scheme,” he said.

The commissioner also announced that the state government has approved the comprehensive upgrade and remodelling of Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba in line with the governor’s transformation agenda in the health sector.

He said the Abia State Specialist Hospital, Umuahia has regained the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria’s accreditation status for the training of medical interns, adding that the accreditation came with an increase in the training quota from 24 to 36 interns.

He described the development as a major milestone in the health sector of the state.

The State’s Health Commissioner, Prof Enoch Uche, said employees would start accessing the health insurance services in three months.

Under the scheme, Uche explained that government employees are entitled to four dependents in addition to their spouses, adding that modalities are being worked out to accommodate workers in the informal sector.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

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