Health: Over 137,000 Residents Enrol Into Health Insurance Scheme In Ebonyi

The Ebonyi State Government has enrolled one hundred and thirty seven thousand, one hundred and thirty three,(137,133) Ebonyians into the state’s health insurance scheme, significantly enhancing access to free and affordable healthcare services across the state.

The Executive Secretary of the State Health Insurance Agency (EBSHIA). Divine Igwe, made the disclosure during a presentation of his agency’s two-year performance at the Women Development Centre, Abakaliki, as part of activities marking Governor Francis Nwifuru's second year in office. Igwe, said that a total of one hundred and thirty seven thousand, one hundred and thirty three,(137,133) residents of the state have enrolled between 2023 and 2024 into the scheme including 42,088 children under the age of five, 20,786 pregnant women, 15,644 elderly persons, and 1,210 persons living with disabilities.

In addition, he said that 41,783 indigent residents have enrolled, along with 8,061 civil servants under the formal sector and 2,214 individuals under the informal sector, while 5,347 students benefited through the Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP). He disclosed that over 86,000 people became active beneficiaries of the scheme in 2024 alone, receiving various free medical services such as antenatal care, deliveries, immunizations, eye care, surgeries, and disease management, among others. The secretary of the board praise Governor Nwifuru led-government for prioritizing healthcare through consistent support to the agency and called for concerned individuals support to the government to enable it fulfill all its people's charter of needs manifesto. The board chairman, Ebonyi state Health Insurance Agency, Elizabeth Ogbaga, and Commissioner for Health, Moses Ekuma, also applauded the agency’s efforts, noting that critical gaps in healthcare personnel, equipment, and access had been addressed over the past two years of the ongoing administration. The health commissioner revealed that governor Nwifuru's led-government took over with only seven doctors covering 13-general hospitals saying that the state now boost of over 40 doctors serving in the Ministry while modern equipments have been procured and functional in the general hospitals, with an agency to manage drug procurement and distribution. On their parts, the state Nigeria Labor Congress chairman, Prof. Ogugua Egwu and his Trade Union Congress counterpart, Comrade Chidi Igboji alongside the Chairman Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ebonyi State Council - Comrade Samson Nwafor commended the achievements of the agency and urged for further decentralization of the scheme to reach rural communities. Glorious FM correspondent Ndubuisi Nwogha reports that the event drew participation from traditional leaders, community stakeholders, and beneficiaries, many of whom shared testimonies of improved healthcare access under Governor Francis Nwifuru's led-administration.