The Cross River State government has concluded arrangements to register one million people in 2020 under its social health insurance scheme known as Ayadecare.
Besides, the government would create among the poor and vulnerable 12 millionaires within the first 3 months of 2020.
Ayadecare scheme was signed into law by Governor Ben Ayade in 2016 and aimed at making healthcare delivery functional and affordable to the rural communities.
Disclosing this during a media briefing in Calabar on Monday, the newly appointed commissioner for health, Dr Beta Edu, said the state government would be using basic healthcare provision funds to fix all the healthcare centres in the state and would provide funds for their operations.
She also revealed plans to introduce health lottery in the state where people can play and win cash, adding that the Ayadecare scheme would commence fully in all its general hospitals and primary healthcare facilities across the 196 wards of the state.
According to her, the state government would be using basic healthcare provision funds to fix all the healthcare centres in the state and would provide funds for their operations.
“To achieve this, there would be an overhaul of the entire general hospitals in the state, as all the 15 general hospitals in the state have been placed on red alert.
“Again, the Calabar Pharmaceutical Company, will commence test-run operations within 6 months, in the new year while revealing that N 100 million naira has been made available for the smooth take off of the Ayadecare program in the state.
“We intend to renovate, equip and bring doctors and healthcare workers on local basis, employ some permanently into the service, employ house officers and collaborate with federal ministry of health, and teaching hospital residence to do their posting at our general hospitals,” she stated.
On the plan to create 12 millionaires, the commissioner said the millionaires will emerge when a person registers up to 10 persons which will make them qualify to win the one million naira. The draws will be taking place every month thereby creating 12 millionaires at the end of the year.
