The Abia State Government has approved the State Health Insurance Scheme, aimed at providing comprehensive health coverage for civil servants in the state.
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr Okey Kanu, made this known on Monday during a press briefing on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Umuahia.
Kanu said that the government had provided N500 million as counterpart fund for the scheme to further strengthen its drive to improve the welfare of workers.
He said that “by this development, all the state civil servants are supposed to enroll in the scheme.”
Kanu said that every civil servant would be required to contribute five per cent of their basic salary as a prerequisite for enrollment on the scheme.
He said that the government had decided to provide 2.5 per of the monthly contribution for Abia workers for the first three months to boost their morale.
“Usually, civil servants are supposed to contribute five per cent from their basic salary every month.
“The government would pay 2.5 per cent of the 5 per cent to encourage civil servants to enrol in this scheme,” Kanu said.
The Commissioner also said that the government had approved a comprehensive upgrade and remodeling of Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba.
He said that this was aimed at transforming ABSUTH into a befitting medical institution.
According to him, the decision to remodel the institution was informed by the need to strengthen the present administration’s resolve to transform the health sector.
Kanu also said that the Abia State Specialist Hospital had regained its Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria’s accreditation status for the training of medical interns.
He said the accreditation came with an increase in the training quota from 24 to 36 of such personnel.
Kanu described the development as a major milestone in the health sector.
NAN
