Alfred Ajayi
The Community Empowerment Network (COMEN) has urged rural community dwellers in Anambra State to embrace health insurance as a practical way of reducing what it described as “catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenses.”
The Secretary of COMEN in Anambra State, Albert Chinwuko, who made the appeal during a health awareness outreach at St. Peter’s Catholic Parish, Urum, in Awka North Local Government Area of the state, said health insurance enables families to access quality healthcare without being overwhelmed by the high cost of treatment.
He said while beneficiaries often perceive the service as free, the government pays the larger portion of the medical bills on their behalf.
The ICIR reports that the outreach was conducted under the Strengthening Public Accountability for Results and Knowledge (SPARK 2) project, being implemented 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 for Awka North LGA, illustrated the impact of the scheme with personal and community experiences.
“As our Reverend Father preached what I called the salvation message earlier, the message we have brought to you today is yet another message that will save your health from catastrophe.
“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 recalled another case involving a woman who was referred to a private hospital for an emergency operation in the early hours of the morning.
“The surgery cost about ₦380,000, but eventually she went home without paying for the operation because she was covered by health insurance. The only money the family spent was about ₦80,000 for drugs they purchased,” Chinwuko added.
He described health insurance as a vital social protection tool that shields vulnerable households from financial hardship, especially in rural communities such as Urum where many families struggle to afford quality healthcare.
Beyond health insurance, Chinwuko stressed the importance of obtaining the National Identification Number (NIN), describing it as an essential requirement for accessing 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.
“Without NIN, you cannot enrol for health insurance. If you go to your primary health centre, they will help you to get your NIN,” he assured residents.
While urging residents to partner with the government in improving their primary health centres, he also appealed to them to access different services available at the facilities, especially those benefiting from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund BHCPF.
The COMEN State Secretary explained that the SPARK 2 intervention targets improved maternal and child care but stressed that residents can only enjoy the improved services when they 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,” he stressed.
He also assured parishioners that COMEN and its partners are available to guide interested residents through the health insurance enrolment process.
The ICIR reports that the outreach also featured an interactive session during which parishioners sought clarification on both the Anambra State and Federal Government health insurance schemes, particularly the annual renewal process and the range of services covered under the benefit packages.