Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, PhD.

For the past three years, the Shared Prosperity administration of His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, has prioritised quality healthcare provision to underserved families across Imo State through the pilot Imo Health Insurance Scheme. Hundreds of thousands of people, who would, otherwise, not have afforded good health care for themselves and their families, can now walk into any hospital in the State and access the best possible care, without bothering about the financial implications.

By prioritising the healthcare of ordinary citizens and making it possible for the most indigent of the population to access quality healthcare, the governor clears every doubt his compassion for ordinary people. Where many leaders might show less concern for the welfare and health of the poorest of the poor, the governor is delivering his most consequential policy in this area, with very little noise.

I had written about Imo Care and the Imo State Health Insurance Scheme in the past, but I hadn’t had the opportunity of interfacing with the management of that outfit until recently, when I had an encounter with the Executive Secretary, Dr. Uchenna Ewelike. My brief interaction with him left me convinced that it wasn’t just some magic that made this initiative, the most impactful pro-poor policy of the 3R administration, it is, to a great extent, the dedication, professionalism, humanness and genuine empathy of the Chief Executive of the outfit that has seen to its marvelous success.

I used to think that the Imo Health Insurance Scheme was just about a drastic subsidisation of healthcare to indigent citizens, but thanks to my younger brother and friend, Chidiebube Okeoma, whose advocacy has helped many Imolites to be better informed about this laudable policy. I got informed about other packages within the scheme that take care of the most vulnerable in the society.

I will credit Dr. Ewelike’s huge successes to the fact, that he is first of all, a humanitarian before becoming a public servant. You could see his genuine interest in helping people solve their problems, and also that diligence to eschew nepotism of any sorts in determining those who qualify as vulnerable.

Dr. Ewelike goes beyond medical concerns to intervene in areas that might improve the general well-being of those he comes in contact with. When I brought a couple to him, he immediately understood that their little baby whom early signs of malnourishment were obvious on. He offered her biscuits and took time to speak to the young father about how to be intentional about his life. He upbraided him, though, lovingly, for not doing enough to improve his living condition and warned him, that he won’t help him the next time, if he doesn’t fix himself up. This young man is a skilled mason, but it appears that he is not comfortable working at sites, being a graduate.

It’s been a long time since I met a public servant with a good combination of what Ewelike possesses; competence, humanity, impartiality and professionalism. He does his job with the full conviction that he works for humanity and for God, and he is achieving a lot of success and saving thousands of lives. It goes to prove once again, the time tested truism that; “it is not always about beauty of the ideas, but those who drive it”.

With the Imo Health Insurance Scheme, I think it should become illegal for anyone to beg for money for any of the numerous diseases covered by the scheme. I am informed that the only disease that the scheme does not cover, as at now, is cancer. So, instead of giving out raising money for those detained in hospital for their inability to pay up their hospital bills, encourage those around you to enroll in Imo Care, or help them to enroll. By so doing, you would have saved yourself unnecessary pressures from dependants, as long as their health needs are concerned.

IMO IS WINNING!

Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, PhD is the Special Adviser to the Governor of Imo State on Public Communication.