The South-South Development Commission, SSDC, has flagged off its Health Insurance Enrollment Programme in Cross River State, enrolling 1,666 vulnerable women, children and elderly persons into the State Health Insurance Scheme.
The event, held in partnership with the Cross River State Health Insurance Agency, CRSHIA, is the first phase of the programme across the six South-South states.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Calabar, the Executive Director of Finance, Amb. Soni Abang, said the enrollment is just the beginning of several interventions planned by the Commission, including provision of drugs, medical equipment, upgrading of health facilities and training of health personnel. He noted that a healthy population is key to productivity, economic growth and security, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SSDC, Mrs Usoro Akpabio, thanked President Tinubu for his support for the Commission’s human capital development mandate and commended Governor Prince Bassey Otu for his commitment to strengthening primary healthcare and expanding health insurance in the State.
Represented by the Executive Director for Social Services and Human Capital Development, Engr. Preye Aganaba, she stressed the need for strict verification to ensure every slot gets to a truly eligible beneficiary, especially in underserved communities. She added that the same standard of fairness and transparency will guide the rollout in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Rivers states.
The Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Egbe Ayuk, welcomed the partnership and called for sustainability, close monitoring and validation of the enrolment. He said the 1,666 slots represent entire families, not just individuals, and expressed optimism that the number will increase significantly in the near future. He also linked the initiative to recent gains in the health sector under Governor Otu, including the donation of over 1,000 pieces of health equipment to state hospitals.
The Director-General of CRSHIA, Dr Godwin Iyala, praised SSDC for moving swiftly from planning to action. He described the Commission as a new institution that has already proven its capacity to deliver. He explained that beneficiaries will have access to primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare under a single premium, with quality assurance to guarantee good service. He also commended the Governor and the First Lady for promoting universal health coverage in the State.
Both agencies pledged to work closely together, ensure effective monitoring and gradually expand the programme so that the initial 1,666 enrolments become a foundation for broader and sustainable health coverage.
