By Brenda Chidinma Imo-Eze
Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency (EBSHIA) has called on political leaders, philanthropists, and prominent community figures to support its newly launched “Adopt Your Community” initiative, aimed at expanding healthcare access for underprivileged persons in the state.
The Executive Secretary of EBSHIA, Dr. Divine Igwe announced the program during a press briefing on the recently concluded 2024 health summit in Abakaliki.
He highlighted the need to increase health insurance coverage across Ebonyi State, where the percentage of insured residents has grown from 3% last year to 8% this year, with a target of 15% by next year.
“If you observe this progress, you’ll see that Ebonyi has achieved a significant increase in insured residents, moving from 3% to 8% of our total population of about three million. By next year, we aim to reach 15%,” Dr. Igwe stated.
“The essence of launching ‘Adopt Your Community’ is to encourage those who can afford it to sponsor health insurance for vulnerable individuals. We want the wealthy to support the poor, the strong to support the weak.
“Philanthropists and leaders should not only enroll themselves but should look around their communities and help enroll those in need, allowing them access to healthcare.”
Dr. Igwe credited Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s commitment to expanding healthcare access, noting that the governor made Ebonyi the first state in Nigeria to provide free health insurance to all civil servants, covering 100% of their premiums.
Reviewing EBSHIA’s achievements, Dr. Igwe reported that this year alone, 86,000 individuals were enrolled, bringing the total number of insured Ebonyians to 137,000. This expansion, he noted, has significantly reduced maternal and infant mortality rates, with over 15,000 pregnant women gaining access to essential healthcare.
“Our services extended to over 113,000 cases in various hospitals, including primary and secondary referrals, with 3,000 patients successfully accessing care through referrals.
“We’ve also expanded our network to include not only public hospitals but also private institutions, such as the David Umahi University of Health Sciences, the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, mission hospitals like Mater, Mile Four, and St. Vincent, and 26 other private hospitals across the state. This expansion ensures that no one is excluded due to a preference for private over public hospitals.”
Dr. Igwe highlighted additional healthcare achievements facilitated under the state’s health insurance scheme, including 3,805 normal deliveries, 253 caesarean sections, 311 hernia surgeries, 81 fibroid surgeries, 59 eye surgeries, and support for over 300 sickle cell patients, among other healthcare services rendered.
Dr. Igwe explained that the “Adopt Your Community” initiative, aligned with the summit theme, “Health Insurance: The New Normal for Health Financing,” calls on affluent individuals and organizations to sponsor health insurance for underprivileged community members.
He noted that the program would support Ebonyi’s Universal Health Coverage goals by expanding healthcare access across 171 wards, with 26 private hospitals and key tertiary institutions now part of the state’s health insurance network.
“Our goal with this initiative is simple: for just 15,000 naira per person, sponsors can bring relief to vulnerable families and help us achieve universal health coverage across Ebonyi,” Dr. Igwe emphasized.
Additionally, the Ebonyi State Health Insurance has launched the Tertiary Institution Social Health Insurance Programme (TSHIP) at Ebonyi State University, extending healthcare access to thousands of students.
“5,000 students have already registered, and we expect many more to join upon resumption,” Dr. Igwe shared, expressing optimism that this initiative would further advance Ebonyi’s health coverage goals.