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By Alfred Ajayi
Residents of Anambra State, particularly those in rural communities, have been urged to enrol in health insurance schemes to reduce the financial burden of medical treatment.
The call was made by the Secretary of the Community Empowerment Network (COMEN) in Anambra State, Albert Chinwuko, during a health awareness outreach at St. Peter’s Catholic Parish, Urum, in Awka North Local Government Area.
Chinwuko said health insurance could help families avoid being overwhelmed by unexpected medical bills, especially when they require emergency or specialised treatment.
He cited the experience of his family, saying his son’s wife delivered twins at a total hospital cost of ₦280,000, while the family paid only ₦25,000 because she was covered by health insurance.
“My son’s wife gave birth to twins. The total hospital bill was ₦280,000, but we paid only ₦25,000. You can see how much the health insurance scheme helped our family,” he said.
He also recalled the case of a woman who required an emergency operation after being referred to a private hospital.
According to him, the surgery cost about ₦380,000, but the woman, who had health insurance coverage, did not have to pay for the procedure. “The only money the family spent was about ₦80,000 for drugs they purchased,” Chinwuko said.
He described health insurance as an important social protection mechanism for vulnerable households, particularly families in rural communities that may struggle to raise large sums of money during medical emergencies.
The outreach was organised under the Strengthening Public Accountability for Results and Knowledge (SPARK 2) project, being implemented in Anambra State by the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) Nnewi, Social and Integral Development Centre (SIDEC), Civil Rights Concern (CRC) and COMEN.
Chinwuko, who is also the COMEN Chairman in Awka North Local Government Area, urged residents to take advantage of available health services rather than wait until illness becomes severe before seeking care.
He particularly encouraged residents to patronise primary healthcare centres benefiting from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
According to him, the SPARK 2 intervention is aimed at strengthening maternal and child healthcare, but the benefits can only be sustained when residents use the facilities and work with government and other stakeholders to improve them.
“But you can only enjoy the improved services when you patronise the health centres.
“Therefore, we are urging you not to abandon the health centres in this community. We must work with government to better the conditions of those facilities.”
Chinwuko also urged residents to obtain their National Identification Number (NIN), which he described as an important requirement for accessing several government services and social programmes.
“If you don’t have a NIN, you won’t benefit from many government programmes. NIN is now compulsory for everyone, and we are urging all residents to register.
“It is an important gateway to accessing healthcare and other public services,” he said.
He added that residents who had not obtained their NIN could seek assistance at primary healthcare centres. “Without NIN, you cannot enrol for health insurance. If you go to your primary health centre, they will help you to get your NIN.”
COMEN and its partners, he added, were ready to assist residents seeking information about health insurance enrolment and available healthcare services.
The outreach featured an interactive session during which parishioners sought clarification on the Anambra State and Federal Government health insurance schemes.
Participants raised questions about the renewal of health insurance coverage and the healthcare services included in the various benefit packages.
The sensitisation programme ended with several residents expressing interest in obtaining more information about the schemes and enrolling for health insurance.
