The Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr Vincent Okpala, has called on residents of the state to key into the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA) for effective and affordable medical services.

He described the healthcare initiative as one of the legacies that posterity would always remember of Governor Willie Obiano.

Okpala who made the call while interacting with journalists at St. Paul's Catholic Church, Akpo, Aguata Local Government Area of the state, explained the insurance is aimed at providing equal health opportunity for the poor and the rich.

“With a token fee of N12,000 annually at N1,000 monthly, your health issues are addressed in a good hospital. You cannot beat that.

“I wish Anambra people will understand that it is cheaper to pay N12,000 for enrolling our children and our parents per annum than paying N50,000 as hospital bills for one person.

“Insurance is about pulling of resources together to achieve maximally and we should be grateful to our governor for introducing such wonderful scheme.”

While saying that the Anambra State Government has received commendations for giving Ndi Anambra adequate healthcare, the commissioner observed that the state under the watch of Gov. Obiano was poised to give Anambra people adequate healthcare.

He explained that the goal can be achieved if it is started with women of productive age.

“When they are pregnant, we urge them to begin to attend antenatal early enough.

“We provide drugs needed to keep them and their babies in good shape in the womb up to the point of delivery. Every ward in the state have health centres with good facilities close to the people.

“We do our best to know the HIV status of pregnant women to avoid mother to child transmission,” he said.

The Commissioner urged nursing mothers to see immunisation as the best gift they can give to their children saying that Meningitis immunisation would soon commence in the state.

He said that the ministry has started working with churches, schools, markets heads, community leaders to sensitise parents, especially mothers, on the importance of immunisation.