By : Bertram Nwannekanma
Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, alongside key stakeholders, has unveiled the Inclusive Health Insurance Enrolment Programme (IHIEP) to expand access to affordable healthcare for vulnerable Nigerians.
The initiative, led by the Global Health Charity and Training Foundation in partnership with the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria, aims to enrol indigent individuals into state health insurance schemes while strengthening healthcare delivery nationwide.
Speaking at the launch in Lagos, Executive Director of the foundation, Adebayo Akintobi, said the programme leverages the expertise of Nigerian doctors in the diaspora to build local healthcare capacity.
He noted that the initiative has already supported medical interventions, including surgeries and screenings at
Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, while also enrolling about 2,000 residents into the Ogun State Health Insurance Scheme.
Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, described the programme as a major boost for vulnerable groups, including children, pregnant women, and the elderly, urging Nigerians to embrace health insurance.
She revealed that less than five percent of Nigerians are currently covered by health insurance, stressing the need to improve access to affordable care.
Dabiri-Erewa, represented at the event, said the initiative addresses long-standing gaps in healthcare access and underscores the importance of diaspora contributions to national development.
Also speaking, Anne Adah-Ogoh of PSHAN called for stronger collaboration across public and private sectors to improve health outcomes.
She highlighted the alliance’s Adopt-A-Primary Healthcare Facility Programme, aimed at ensuring every Nigerian lives within five kilometres of a functional primary healthcare centre.
The IHIEP is expected to roll out across participating states, with beneficiaries enrolled through accredited state health insurance schemes.
