No fewer than 137,133 residents of Ebonyi State have been enrolled free of charge into the State Health Insurance Agency within the 2023 and 2024 fiscal years.
The Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr. Divine Igwe, disclosed this on Thursday during a press conference in Abakaliki, highlighting the agency’s achievements over the past two years.
Dr. Igwe stated that in November 2023, the state government approved free health insurance coverage for all civil servants without requiring any financial contribution from them.
A breakdown of the beneficiaries includes children under five, pregnant women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, the indigent, and individuals in both the formal and informal sectors.
He explained that the media engagement was aimed at showcasing the strides made by Governor Francis Nwifuru’s administration through the health insurance agency.
Igwe called on philanthropists and stakeholders across the state to mobilize support and register at least 1,000 people per ward into the scheme.
“This will go a long way in reducing mortality rates and addressing the growing threat of high blood pressure, which is claiming lives in our communities,” he said.
According to him, the health insurance scheme has helped reduce out-of-pocket expenses for medical care across all 13 Local Government Areas and the 171 electoral wards of the state.
He added that the agency, which was established by law in 2018, is designed to ensure equitable access to healthcare services for all residents without causing financial hardship.
Igwe also revealed that the state is partnering with the Global Fund to provide free healthcare access for people living with HIV/AIDS.
“Currently, 14,000 identified HIV patients are being enrolled into the state health insurance scheme,” he announced.
In an earlier address, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, said the government had revitalized Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) to meet the health needs of the population.
“Before this administration took office in 2023, only 34,000 people were enrolled in the health insurance scheme. Now, over 137,000 have been enrolled in just two years,” he said.
He also noted that antenatal care access had significantly improved, contributing to a reduction in maternal mortality and morbidity across the state.
The media briefing was attended by the Board Chairman of the Agency, Barr. (Mrs.) Elizabeth Ogbaga; the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Professor Ogugua Egwu; his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Comrade Chidi Igboji; traditional rulers; and representatives of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital (AE-FUTHA), Abakaliki, among others.
