APGA candidate in Abia flags off Health Insurance scheme for 7,200 persons

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has officially flagged off a Community Health Insurance Scheme in the state.

Over 7200 persons selected across various denominations in the state would have free access to healthcare services within the period of six months the free medical services run in affiliation with the National Health Insurance Scheme would last.

Speaking at the flag off ceremony in Umuahia the state capital, Otti regretted that a number of people with life threatening illnesses have lost their lives because of the high cost of their medical bills or their inability to access quality healthcare services within their various locations.

The former Diamond Bank MD also said that long before now, he had been assisting a lot of people in settling their hospital bills, adding that a lot more needed to be done, hence the establishment of the community health insurance scheme for more people to benefit, adding that some of the beneficiaries of the health scheme have started treatment in some of the accredited NHIS accredited hospitals in the state.

He however expressed hope that the health scheme would go a long way in alleviating the health challenges residents of the state were already facing and promised that he would improve on what he has commenced doing on a larger scale when elected as the governor of the state as he assured that his administration would transform the health sector “such that we will end medical tourism and make our state second to none in health service delivery which will attract people from various parts of the country to come to the state for medical services because we will have trained professionals who will replicate those medical services obtainable in overseas in Abia State”.



According to him, “The drive to care for as many as possible was my intention in providing free medical care in various locations in the state. The first and second phases have been held in 16 communities. It was a huge success because it restored hope and happiness to about 6400 that benefitted from the programme.



“Optimal health is a continuum; hence provision of healthcare must also be a continuum. This we have done by incorporating the citizens of Abia into the National Insurance Scheme through the Community Health Insurance Scheme.



“You have been incorporated into a government agency through which you can have access to free healthcare. With this a beneficiary has easy access to continuous, comprehensive, coordinated and quality healthcare.



“I want to announce to you that at present, I, Dr Alex Otti funded the registration of about 7200 people across the state for a period of six months.

These 7200 persons are already enjoying this charity in some of the NHIS accredited hospitals, some of which are Madonna Catholic Church Hospital in Umuahia and St. Anthony’s Hospital, Aba”.