A public policy analyst Mr Polycarp Onwubiko has called for transparancy and accountability in the disbursement of the contributions to the Anambra state health insurance agency, (ASHIA) to get the satisfaction of the contributors to the healthcare scheme.
Onwubiko who spoke with journalists at Awka, observed frustration and exasperation of contributors to ASHIA who complained bitterly that only low cost drugs are covered by the agency while areas like teeth wash and replacement, eye glass and drugs, laboratory tests (apart from malaria, typhoid and choresterol) are not covered by the agency.
“For instance, ASHIA pays only N10,000 for eye glass that costs N40,000 and does not cover teeth wash that cost N7, 500, and some surgical operation,” he said.
The public policy analyst agued that ASHIA should not be perceived as a source of revenue agency for government by conserving a substantial percentage of the contributions by the registrants.
He further advised that the agency at the end of the year should publish the amount contributed and the amount paid to the registered hospitals where the registrants go for medical attention.
While arguing that over 60 percent of the ASHIA registrants scarcely fall sick while 40 percent who seek medical attention cannot exhaust the total contributions of the ASHIA registrants in a year, Onwubiko noted that the surplus money can cover all the drugs and medicaments needed by the 40 percent of the registrants that actually seek for medical attention.
