…Targets flood victims, vulnerable households, primary school pupils
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has directed the extension of health insurance coverage to an additional 50,000 residents, including flood victims, vulnerable persons and pupils in public primary schools across the state.
The initiative, funded through the state government’s equity contributions to the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), is aimed at expanding access to healthcare and reducing the financial burden of medical treatment on vulnerable households.
The Executive Secretary of RIVCHPP, Dr Vetty Agala, disclosed this on Friday during an interaction with journalists after the agency’s third-quarter management review meeting in Port Harcourt.
Agala said the governor’s intervention was designed to strengthen the implementation of the contributory health insurance programme and ensure that more residents, particularly those facing financial difficulties, could access essential healthcare services.
She explained that extending coverage to flood victims formed part of the state government’s response to the impact of flooding on affected communities.
According to her, the initiative recognises that the consequences of flooding extend beyond immediate humanitarian needs to include the healthcare challenges confronting displaced households and residents whose livelihoods have been disrupted.
Agala added that the inclusion of pupils in public primary schools would improve children’s access to healthcare, safeguard their well-being and promote a healthier school-age population across Rivers State.
She said the initiative reflected the government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare access and protecting vulnerable residents from the financial hardship associated with medical treatment.
The intervention aligns with Fubara’s Health4AllRivers vision, which seeks to advance universal health coverage by expanding access to affordable healthcare and ensuring that more residents benefit from health insurance.
The additional coverage is expected to extend the programme’s reach to vulnerable groups, particularly flood-affected households and schoolchildren, who may otherwise face barriers to accessing essential medical services.