ABOUT 12,000 pensioners in Edo state will benefit from the state government’s free health insurance scheme.
Other beneficiaries of the scheme include members of the state security network.
The director-general of the state Health Insurance Scheme (EDOHIS), Rock Amegor, disclosed this over the weekend.
According to Amegor, N1 billion has been saved for the free health insurance scheme.
He said over 12,000 pensioners across the 18 local government areas, 4,000 operatives of the Edo State Security Network and others would enjoy the free health insurance package.
He said the programme would start in the first quarter of 2024 and that the state was the second state in Nigeria to offer retirees access to healthcare.
He clarified that the programme would cover physiotherapy, dental, eye, surgical, and medical care for beneficiaries and would consequently reduce out-of-pocket spending on health.
“It is a robust medical care that can take care of about 70 per cent to 80 per cent of all medical challenges that we should expect at one point in our lives.
“Today, we have about 302 facilities in the scheme, which will cover the pensioners and vigilante members across the state,” he said.
A reporter with the ICIR
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