Nkechi Ewa
The Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency (EBSHIA), in partnership with Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Persons (BERWO), the pet project of Ebonyi First Lady, Chief Mrs. Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, is set to flag off the third phase of its free medical and surgical intervention programme, with over 1,100 patients already enrolled.
Speaking with journalists in Abakaliki on Thursday, the Executive Secretary of EBSHIA, Dr. Divine Igwe, said the exercise is being conducted under Governor Francis Nwifuru’s “People’s Charter of Needs” agenda, which prioritizes accessible healthcare for all residents.
According to him, the intervention, which holds three times annually, has so far documented 415 hernia cases, 36 fibroid cases, and 650 eye cases, bringing the total registered patients to 1,101. He explained that the eye cases will undergo further screening to determine those requiring surgery, while others will be provided with medications and eyeglasses.
“As of today, we have 1,101 beneficiaries, and by the time registration closes, we may hit over 2,000. Every single one of them will receive free treatment, fully funded by the state government,” Igwe said.
He noted that while previous administrations often paid hospital bills for patients in emergencies, the current government has institutionalized the process through health insurance to guarantee sustainability. “Instead of waiting until people face crises before paying their bills, we are enrolling them into the state health insurance scheme so they can access care for a whole year or more without financial hardship,” he explained.
Dr. Igwe stressed that the health insurance scheme was designed to protect residents from catastrophic medical spending while improving access to quality healthcare. He added that accountability measures have been built into the programme, including patient documentation, identity cards, and allocation to accredited hospitals.
“We cannot compromise on quality. Only hospitals with qualified consultants are permitted to carry out these surgeries. That was our model in the last phases, and it gave us 100 percent success. By God’s grace, we will maintain that record,” he assured.
The EBSHIA boss further disclosed that the official flag-off of the surgeries will be performed by the Governor’s wife upon her return, after which beneficiaries will be distributed to hospitals across the state for treatment. He emphasized that the Agency will remain at registration points until the end of the month to ensure maximum coverage.
Reacting to complaints from some beneficiaries who alleged that hospitals asked them to return their health cards after treatment, Igwe blamed the issue on improper documentation or misconduct by some health workers, adding that his office had commenced investigations to address such lapses.
He urged residents across the 171 wards of Ebonyi State to seize the opportunity of the free programme, stressing that there is no cap on the number of patients. “Our goal is to register everyone with genuine medical needs. If numbers exceed this phase, they will be rolled over to the next,” he assured, describing the intervention as proof of the government’s determination to bring healthcare closer to the people.