Health insurance: FG identifies Anambra gains in emergency care

The Federal Government has commended Anambra State for progress in implementing the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, citing improvements in emergency medical services, health insurance claims management and access to essential healthcare.

The commendation followed an assessment visit by a Federal Ministry of Health monitoring team to evaluate the implementation of the fund and its impact on healthcare delivery across the state.

The team, led by Assistant Director, Informal Sector, National Health Insurance Authority, Agboola Olasunkanmi, assessed the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency, State Primary Health Care Development Board, State Emergency Medical Treatment Committee and NCDC Gateway.

Olasunkanmi said the assessment was designed to identify achievements, implementation challenges and areas requiring additional Federal Government support, rather than penalise participating agencies.

He particularly highlighted the state’s performance in emergency medical services, health insurance claims processing and payments to healthcare facilities, noting that private sector participation had also strengthened ambulance operations and emergency response.

However, he called for better coordination among agencies implementing the fund, recommending quarterly meetings of the State Oversight Committee to strengthen collaboration, accountability and programme monitoring.

The Commissioner for Health, Afam Obidike, said the success of the BHCPF should be measured by its impact on residents, particularly improvements in access to quality healthcare at the primary healthcare level.

He said differences in service delivery between facilities benefiting from the fund and those outside the programme were becoming more evident, citing improvements in support for frontline health workers, medical equipment and access to essential services.

Obidike also highlighted the expansion of telemedicine services across selected BHCPF-supported wards, saying the initiative had enabled nurses and community health extension workers to consult doctors for professional guidance when treating patients.

He explained that communication devices and data support provided under the programme had improved access to medical expertise in underserved communities, where healthcare workers often operate without immediate access to doctors.

The commissioner cited an incident involving a woman with severe leg swelling suspected to be associated with an underlying medical condition. He said a nurse sought remote medical guidance, helping facilitate appropriate attention and demonstrating how telemedicine could support early intervention and prevent complications.

He added that improved access to essential medicines through health insurance programmes had also helped residents obtain healthcare services at primary healthcare facilities without facing the full financial burden of treatment.

The Federal Government’s assessment is expected to continue with further field visits to identify implementation gaps and determine areas requiring additional support.

The exercise comes amid efforts to strengthen primary healthcare delivery, expand health insurance coverage and improve access to affordable medical services across the country.