By Nkechinyere Ewa
Wife of the Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Mrs. Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, has launched the second phase of the free enrolment of 10,000 pregnant women into the Ebonyi State Health Insurance Scheme (EBSHIA), reaffirming her commitment to reducing maternal and infant mortality across the state.
The event, held on Wednesday at the Women Development Centre, Abakaliki, drew hundreds of expectant mothers, healthcare providers, and community leaders. Mrs. Nwifuru said the initiative, supported by the BERWO Foundation in collaboration with EBSHIA, was designed to empower pregnant women with access to essential items, antenatal care, and health education throughout pregnancy and delivery.
According to her, the programme offers free registration, ensuring that every mother and child in Ebonyi enjoys quality healthcare. “No woman should die while giving life,” she declared, emphasizing that the initiative also promotes safe delivery practices, nutrition awareness, breastfeeding, and emotional well-being for mothers-to-be.
The Governor’s wife reiterated her vision for an Ebonyi where every mother and baby are given dignity and a healthy start, saying the scheme aligns with her husband’s administration’s people-centered agenda in healthcare delivery.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of EBSHIA, Dr. Divine Igwe, lauded the First Lady’s compassionate leadership and her resolve to advance healthcare for the most vulnerable. He highlighted the agency’s recent achievements, including, Free enrolment of 4,078 pregnant women, elders, and children; Provision of life-saving care to 300 sickle cell patients; Over 1,223 surgical and medical interventions for vulnerable individuals; Comprehensive eye screenings and surgeries for traditional rulers across the state.
Dr. Igwe further gave the Commitment of EBSHIA, assuring: Every enrolled woman will be supported and tracked; Every baby will be protected with quality care.
He pledged that the programme would “set a national benchmark for maternal health insurance,” and reaffirmed that the agency would sustain collaboration with the Office of the First Lady to ensure lasting impact.
Igwe said, “Together with His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, and Her Excellency, Chief Mrs. Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, we are building a healthier, stronger, and more prosperous Ebonyi State where no life is left behind.”