Dr. Simeon Onyemaechi, Managing Director of the Anambra Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA), has revealed that more than 37,000 vulnerable and impoverished residents of Anambra State are benefiting from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
Dr. Onyemaechi made this disclosure during a one-day retraining program for Officers-in-Charge (OICs) of the Primary Health Care Centres under the BHCPF scheme, held in Awka. The training focused on improving Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) data collection tools.
In his address, Dr. Onyemaechi explained that the BHCPF is a joint initiative by the federal and state governments aimed at addressing the healthcare needs of the poorest and most vulnerable in society. He added that ASHIA ensures monthly capitation payments to the 326 primary healthcare centers providing services across the state’s political wards, with over 110 beneficiaries per ward.
The ASHIA MD emphasized the importance of building the capacity of healthcare officers and keeping them informed about the latest innovations in patient care. He also urged the officers to refer patients with complex cases to secondary healthcare facilities to ensure comprehensive care.
One of the participants, Mrs. Ifeoma Okafor from Nnewi North Local Government Area, expressed her satisfaction with the training, noting that it had enhanced her knowledge of data collection and patient referral processes.