By CHARLES IWUOHA

Wife of Ebonyi governor, Chief Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, has declared free enrolment of all pregnant mothers into health insurance scheme in the state.

Declaring the official flag-off of the programme in the state at the Azuiyiokwu Health Centre, Abakaliki, Mrs. Nwifuru enjoined all pregnant mothers to queue into the scheme.

She said the enrolment of pregnant women into the Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency (EBSHIA) under her Better Health for Rural Women (BERWO) initiative, was a true reflection of Governor Francis Nwifuru-led administration's efforts to ensure quality health service delivery in the state.

She explained that the programme was sponsored by her pet project, Better Health Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Persons BERWO in the state.

“Today is the enrolment of rural pregnant women into the Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency, EBSHIA. This initiative is a very testament to our unwavering dedication to ensuring that every pregnant mother receives the care and support she needs for a safe and healthy pregnancy,” the governor's wife said.

She described the security of health as a fundamental right, well deserved by every pregnant woman in the state.

“It goes a long way to prove that BERWO is taking critical steps towards ensuring that our rural pregnant women have access to essential maternal and childcare delivery without financial problems.

“In this difficult economic time, we are committed to supporting health services in our state, and empowering rural pregnant women with health insurance is to make them take care of their health and that of their unborn children. It is also a proactive measure to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates,” she stressed.

While commending Governor Francis Nwifuru alongside the aiding agencies in the health sector in Ebonyi, she vowed to continue to take steps that would promote healthy and happy homes in the state.

She also announced that the free health insurance enrolment for pregnant women would be conducted in all the 171 political wards in Ebonyi and however, urged every pregnant woman to take advantage of the opportunity, to promote healthcare and healthy pregnancy in the state.

In their remarks, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Moses Ekuma and the Executive Secretary of EBSHIA, Dr Divine Igwe, commended the state government for providing the enabling grounds that would make the program run successfully.

They revealed that over 500 pregnant women honoured the health insurance enrolment flag-off ceremony despite their targets of 350 of them from the 13 local government areas in the state.