The Chairman of Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, Mr. Obiora Obeagu, says his administration has enrolled 5,000 indigent residents of the council into the Universal Health Insurance Scheme to improve access to healthcare services.
Obeagu disclosed this on Wednesday in Enugu while speaking with journalists during the 2025 Physicians’ Week and the maiden Enugu Regional Health Summit organised by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
He said his administration prioritised healthcare delivery through targeted interventions aimed at addressing the health needs of residents, particularly vulnerable groups such as children, women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
According to him, several health centres across the council have been renovated to enhance service delivery, while the insurance enrolment would enable indigent persons to receive free healthcare services.
“We have encountered people who struggle to raise as little as ₦2,500 to buy drugs, and it is disturbing. As a government, our primary purpose is the welfare of our people,” Obeagu said.
The council chairman added that his administration had made the health sector a priority by conducting several medical outreaches to bring essential services closer to rural communities.
He explained that upon assuming office, he established a standing committee on free medical outreach, noting that more than 2,000 residents benefited from the most recent exercise.
On the NMA Physicians’ Week outreach to Isi-Uzo, Obeagu said the council was partnering with the NMA and other health associations to provide interventions in remote communities with limited access to medical facilities.
“While we continue to build healthcare infrastructure, we must also provide immediate interventions for people who cannot afford medical care on their own,” he said.
He commended the NMA for providing a platform for collaboration, adding that the joint initiative was helping to save lives and address pressing health challenges in the area.
“It is a comprehensive medical and surgical outreach, including free health screening, eye and dental care, surgeries, and free drug distribution,” Obeagu noted.
He further disclosed that Nemel Pharmaceutical Company, Enugu, had donated drugs worth millions of naira for the outreach scheduled to hold on Thursday.
