The Better Health For Rural Women, Children, and Internally Displaced Foundation (BERWO) has enrolled 10,000 pregnant women in Ebonyi into the State Health Insurance Agency (EBSHIA) at no cost to them.
The Founder of the foundation and Wife of the Governor, Mrs Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, made this known on Wednesday, during the inauguration of the second phase of the enrolment in Abakaliki.
The event was organised by BERWO, in collaboration with EBSHIA.
According to Nwifuru, the enrolment ensured that the women access quality antenatal care, safe delivery, and postnatal services without the burden of cost.
She also disclosed that the programme covered emergency medical care under the scheme.
“The life-changing event, captured 10,000 pregnant women into the scheme by BERWO foundation and reaffirms our collective commitment to the health, safety of every woman and child in the state.
“This intervention, spearheaded through a strong collaboration between BERWO foundation and EBSHIA, a health and social protection effort, ensures that every enrolled woman received care.
“We are expanding the circle of care, which enrolls 10,000 pregnant women across the 171 wards of the state,” Nwifuru said.
She said that the initiative also helped to demonstrate her unwavering commitment to ensuring that no mother died, while giving life and no child was denied a chance to live healthy because of poverty.
She encouraged the women to take advantage of the initiative to ensure they got registered and attend antenatal appointments.
In a remark, the Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Divine Igwe, said the initiative aligned with the universal health coverage and the “people’s charter of needs” mantra of Gov Francis Nwifuru-led administration.
Igwe promised that the women enrolled would be tracked to ensure they access health care for safe delivery.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Moses Ekuma, commended the governor’s wife for the huge initiative, adding that the first phase recorded huge success.
Odira Ekenezie, the Regional Accounts Manager, South-East Field Technology and Development Partners Limited, said it partnered the foundation and EBSHIA to affect lives positively by providing medical interventions and dispensing quality drugs.
The Chairperson EBSHIA Board and BERWO Team Lead, Mrs Nkechi Echiegu, disclosed that the initiative had introduced components, such as baby shower.
Mrs Success Nkwede and Patience Okwuru, who spoke on behalf of the other beneficiaries, commended Nwifuru for the initiative and relief in the cost of medical care.