Training For Anambra 2020 Health Account Study Commences In Awka

A three – day training for enumerators for Anambra State 2020 Health Account Study has commenced in Awka. Declaring the training open, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Vincent Okpala said after the orientation, the enumerators will embark on a thirty – day field work. Paul Ezeoke  reports that Dr Okpala said Governor Obiano’s administration has laid strong foundation for sustainable and progressive development in the health sector, noting that government is focusing on health system strengthening to ensure continuity.

He explained that the annual study enable government to generate necessary data for implementation of policies and programmes in the health sector and recalled that the result of the study conducted in 2018 engendered the establishment of the state health insurance scheme which has impacted positively on lives of Ndi Anambra by  giving them easy access to quality and affordable healthcare and through the adoption model reduced significantly the out – of pocket- expenses of the people  which he noted many States in the country are now trying to adopt.

According to Dr Okpala healthcare without a systemic approach to solving healthcare problems, would not achieve any result, noting that  the six building blocks of a good healthcare delivery system include, availability of essential medication, Healthcare financing, Workforce, Data management, Service delivery, Governance and leadership , noting  that healthcare financing to be one of the most important in the six building blocks of achieving good healthcare service delivery.

He expressed confidence that the study would  enable the people benefit more in the universal health coverage as well as further reduce their out of pocket expenses.

Also speaking, the Head, Directorate of Planning, Research and Statistics of the Ministry, Mrs Edith Nwachukwu said the participants would through the field work provide data that would be analysed and evaluated to enable government make informed decisions in healthcare delivery to the people.

The theme of the programme is “Strengthening the Anambra State Health System for Primary Healthcare Delivery.”