By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Nawgu Development Union (NDU) in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State has enrolled more indigenes of the community into the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA). The gesture was in collaboration with the General Hospital, Nawgu

The enrollment, as well as an outreach, was held over the weekend at the hospital’s premises in Nawgu.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Medical Director of the General Hospital, Dr Chidinma Olour, said that the main purpose of the outreach, which included, consultation, health talks, drugs administration, consultation, medical tests, among others, was to encourage the people of the community to seek proper medical treatment from the hospital.

Mrs Tonia Okoli, an ASHIA staff, sensitised the people on the benefits of health insurance, pointing out that it helps to reduce the cost of hospital bills and, at the same time, ensure quality healthcare service delivery to enrollees of th4 scheme.

The ASHIA team at the event sensitised the people on the need for accessing secondary healthcare whenever the need arises.

NDU, represented by the Chairman of the community Health Committee, Dr Lazurus Ugochukwu Okafor, hailed philanthropists and wealthy members of the committee for enrolling over 170 Nawgu indigenes into the ASHIA scheme. He expressed hope that they would meet their target of 1,000 people.

According to him, the health committee was one of the committees set up by the community that ensures the wellbeing of the Nawgu people in terms of access to proper medical care and sanitation.

Meanwhile, a newly registered ASHIA enrollee, Mrs Christiana Okoye, has expressed gratitude to the committee, noting that going to the hospital has been a very challenging task for her because of the exorbitant cost. She expressed hope that now she has been enrolled in ASHIA, she would start receiving quality healthcare services at an affordable cost.