EBSHIA Executive Secretary, Dr Divine Igwe in a group picture with journalists from various media organizations.
By Victor Nwegede
No less than '86,175 persons' have been enrolled on the Ebonyi State Health Insurance Scheme in the year 2024.
The Executive Secretary of Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency, EBSHIA, Dr Divine Igwe disclosed this yesterday during the press conference at Abakaliki, saying this was one of the agency's achievements this year.
Igwe said those enrolled into the health insurance scheme cut across the 171 wards in the 13 local government areas in the state
He explained that the agency, in its efforts to make a remarkable achievement in line with Governor Francis Nwifuru's administration agenda anchored on the People's Charter of Needs, has digitalized end encryption of Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency's portal.
The agency, according to him, has also trained and retained enrolment officers, EBSHIA staff, Officers In Charge (OICs), Ward Development Coordinators (WDCs) and Auxiliary Staff (AS) in the state health centres.
He added that EBSHIA has established a partnership with the pet foundation of the wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Mrs Uzoamaka Nwifuru, known as Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced People, BERWO for the enrolment of over 300 sickle patients, 4,076 pregnant women and 1,300 elderly and children across the 171 wards in the 13 local government areas in the state.
Onboarding of the formal sector (Civil Servant-Onwa Healthcare), Igwe said about 8,000 civil servants and their dependants are currently benefitting from the state health insurance.
He further stated: "EBSHIA has accredited all the mission hospitals, general hospitals, National Obstetrics Fistula Centre (NOFIC) at Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, AE-FUTHA and private hospitals for quality healthcare delivery in the state.
"Onboarding of Tertiary Institution Social Health Insurance Program (TISHIP) in Ebonyi State University students to benefit from the health insurance.
"We carried out 311 hernia surgeries for both children and adults, including civil servants, across the 171 wards in the state. We ensured 3,805 free baby deliveries under the scheme, of which 253 were caesarean sessions. We implemented a successful medical and surgical intervention for 582 Ebonyi State civil servants.
"We issued 582 medicated quality eyeglasses to the civil servants, carried 59 eye surgeries for the state civil servants, and carried out 46 fibroid surgeries for both civil servants and other Ebonyi citizens."
Igwe noted that EBSHIA has continued engagement with the stakeholders for the expansion of health insurance coverage and specialized interventions for vulnerable populations, having significantly contributed to the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals in the state.
He asserted that the achievements of the agency between January and September 2024 have highlighted the commitment of Governor Nwifuru to the health and well-being of Ebonyi citizens through continuous improvement, stakeholder engagement and innovative health interventions in the state. He reaffirmed the agency's commitment to achieve universal health coverage for the residents of Ebonyi State.
