By ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo –
Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Agency (AKSHIA) has continued to record a steady influx of individuals seeking enrollment into the scheme for being affordable and accessible.
A visit to the agency’s office showed that dozens of residents are turning up at the Agency’s head office along Wellington Bassey Way in Uyo, the state capital and other designated enrollment centers across the state .
They are trooping to register for the scheme under the Arise Care programme.
This growing participation reflects a positive response to government efforts aimed at achieving universal health coverage and ensuring that no Akwa Ibom resident is left behind in accessing quality medical services, officials of the agency, it was gathered.
Staff members of the Agency have continued to attend to long queues of prospective enrollees, ranging from civil servants and elderly, all eager to benefit from the subsidized healthcare packages provided under the scheme.
The high turnout underscores increasing public confidence in the system and the realization of the financial relief that comes with health insurance, Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr. Igbemi Arthur Igbemi, has said.
It would be recalled that Igbemi, during the visit of the House of Representatives Committee on health to Akwa Ibom, had lauded Governor Umo Eno for the innovations in the health sector which saw the inauguration of the health insurance scheme last year , three years after a law for its establishment was passed by the state Assembly in 2021.
According to the Agency’s management, the rush for enrollment follows the recent successes recorded in the formal and informal sector programmes, with many beneficiaries already testifying to the scheme in reducing out-of-pocket medical expenses.
“AKSHIA has also assured residents that more registration points and accredited facilities will be opened across the 31 local government areas to ease the process and ensure timely service delivery, ” he stated.
“The growing enthusiasm among residents shows that the Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Scheme is gaining strong acceptance.
“It is also a testament to the government’s commitment to building a healthier and more productive population — a key driver for sustainable development in the state,” the agency said.
