By Kelvin Obambon
The South-South Development Commission (SSDC) has flagged off its Health Insurance Enrollment Programme for vulnerable women, children and older persons in Cross River State, enrolling 1,666 beneficiaries into the state’s health insurance scheme.
The ceremony, held in collaboration with the Cross River State Health Insurance Agency (CRSHIA), marks the first rollout of the programme across the six South-South states.
Speaking during the official flag off ceremony in Calabar on Wednesday, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of South South Development Commission (SSDC), Mrs Usoro Akpabio, thanked President Bola Tinubu for supporting the commission’s human-capital mandate and commended Cross River Governor, Prince Bassey Edet Otu for strengthening primary healthcare and expanding insurance access.
READ ALSO: Agaba Commends Tinubu, Otu, APC Leaders for Successful Calabar Presidential Rally
The MD who was represented by the Executive Director for Social Services and Human Capital Development, Engr. Preye Aganaba, emphasized strict verification, stating that “every slot must reach an eligible person in genuine need, with deliberate outreach to underserved communities and follow-up to ensure beneficiaries can actually use their cover.”
She announced that the same standards of fairness and accountability would guide the programme’s expansion to Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Rivers states.
Also speaking, Amb. Soni Abang, Executive Director of Finance in SSDC, described the enrolment as the first of several planned interventions, including support for drugs, medical equipment, facility upgrades and professional training. He framed the effort within the broader Renewed Hope agenda, stating that a healthy population underpins productivity, economic growth and security.
Dr Henry Egbe Ayuk, Cross River Commissioner for Health, welcomed the partnership and stressed that the enrolment must be sustained and closely monitored. “We see this not as a donation. We see it as a form to be realised and to be sustained and to be monitored and validated,” he said.
He noted that the 1,666 slots represent families rather than isolated individuals and expressed expectation that the number would grow substantially, pointing to plans for larger coverage in the coming period. Ayuk also linked the programme to broader gains under the state administration, including a recent donation of more than 1,000 items of health equipment to state hospitals.
Director-General of CRSHIA, Dr Godwin Iyala, praised the SSDC for moving quickly from conception to action. “They are babies, but they have proven that they are giants. They matured in the stomach before they came out,” he said, contrasting the commission’s early impact as a newly established institution with other regional bodies.
Iyala explained that beneficiaries would access care across primary, secondary and tertiary levels under a single premium, with quality-assurance mechanisms in place to protect standards. He credited the governor and the First Lady, who serves as brand ambassadors for health insurance in the state, for deepening universal health coverage.
Both CRSHIA and SSDC pledged continued partnership, effective monitoring and progressive expansion so that the initial 1,666 enrolments become the foundation for wider and sustainable coverage.
