
Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr Vincent Okpala has chaired the first meeting of Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) State Oversight Committee meeting.
The meeting marked the official transition from BHCPF State Steering Committee (SSC) to State Oversight Committee (SOC) in the state.
Dr Okpala, while addressing the convergence listed the statutory membership of the SOC and stressed that the transition would offer the committee an opportunity to recommit to the goals and objectives of BHCPF, identify and address gaps in the implementation, and position for the achievement of universal health coverage (UHC).
The meeting was held at the commissioner’s office in Jerome Udoji Secretariat, Awka.
Okpala noted that the meeting would enable the committee to examine ways of introducing efficiency in the health sector and urged the committee members to prepare for the demands of the assignment and for identification of rooms for improvement, efficient resource utilisation and other initiatives.
The commissioner commended the European Union/World Health Organisation (EU/WHO) and other partners in the state for their support in helping the state to achieve universal health coverage in the health sector and explained that the State Oversight Committee would visit facilities to assess how work was carried out, to identify and address challenges quickly, and provide an enhanced learning environment for continuous improvement.
The meeting also considered decisions that would help to improve the health sector of Anambra State for the benefit of the citizens.
Present at the meeting were Executive Secretary of ASHIA, Dr Simeon Onyemaechi, Executive Secretary of Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ANSPHCDA) represented by Dr Frank Umeh, and State Director of Medical Services, Dr Ugochukwu Chukwulobelu.
Others are Mr Remigius Obetta from National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Mr Obioha Agbakwuru from National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Obinna Akabuike, Technical Adviser to the Commissioner for Health and the Head of Department, Planning, Research and Statics, Mrs Edith Nwachukwu.