…As Akwa Ibom insurance agency wins fastest growing award
Governor Umo Eno’s bold imprint in the health sector of Akwa Ibom State has attracted recognition as the state health insurance agency has won the fastest growing healthcare coverage award.
With a growing enrollee of over 55,000 people, the agency which began services in November last year has recorded significant growth in health insurance covering both the informal and formal sectors as well as for the vulnerable population.
The award, which was given by the Institute for Health Insurance and Managed Care in Nigeria, a training institute, recognized the state health insurance agency as the fastest growing government health agency in healthcare coverage in the country.
Igbemi Arthur Igbemi, a medical doctor and the Executive Secretary of the Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Agency, who received the award alongside the board chairman and other management staff made this known in an interview in his office, in the presence of the Edikan Ndueso Ekwere, chairman of the board, also a medical doctor.
Igbemi said that the award was dedicated to Governor Umo Eno for the “political will and commitment” he has shown towards the provision health insurance scheme to the people.
“The thing that has gladdened my heart so much is that people noticed how much interest and commitment Governor Umo Eno has shown particularly in changing the narrative in the health sector. We can see the model primary healthcare centres he is building, the oxygen production plant and other projects he is doing.
“So, they decided that we deserved to be awarded the fastest growing government health insurance agency in healthcare coverage for the year 2025. Initially when they spoke with me, I said it was too early, to start receiving awards, I was not interested, but something happened again, we had another information when I was relating with the chairman of the forum of CEO of health insurance, who happens to be the executive secretary of another state health insurance agency. He called me and told me that he was so impressed with the way we are running the health insurance scheme in Akwa Ibom state,’’ he said.
Igbemi, who disclosed that the award has been presented to the governor at the executive council chambers of his office, added that the governor was encouraged by the award.
“So yesterday, that award was officially presented to him at exco chambers. He was happy about it and encouraged, he expressed it there, remembering the board was set up in July and the launch was done in September 2024. Service provision started in November, and was recognised as the fastest growing government agency in healthcare coverage 2025,” he said.
Giving a breakdown of the enrollees, he said the agency has over 55,000 enrollees, explaining that it “commenced the formal sector enrollment, yesterday, making it one week since we started, we have added more than 5,000 to the pool. This is for the civil servants; they are supposed to enroll their spouses and four biological children. So, when you multiply that by the time we finish, we should be enrolling up to 200,000 persons.
“Total enrolment is 55,349, for the formal sector that we have enrolled so far is 11,335 and this is possible because we started enrolling junior civil servants first, so for the formal sector, 11,335.
“A breakdown shows that 4229 as principal, 4870, dependents, spouses 2236, then for the vulnerable population, 41,020.
“In terms of service utilization, the total number of consultations is 15,750, surgeries are 78, including CS, then normal deliveries we have 98,’’ he said.
The Executive Secretary expressed the optimism that with the support the agency has received from the governor, achievement of universal coverage was possible, he called on the people to avail themselves of the services being provided by the state health insurance agency.
“I am so happy that the governor has actually supported this agency, under the Arise Care which is his brand, the other thing he has done is the kind of encouragement that he has given to us., he has allowed us to explore things that will make the insurance agency one of the best in the country. Yesterday, the award was dedicated to him.” he said.
Contributing, the chairman of the health insurance board, Ekwere said many organisations and individuals in the state have shown interest in “paying for premiums to cover some lives in various parts of the state.”
According to him “this has gone to strengthen the scheme adding that more people have promised to pay for their staff members and many have shown commitment to working with us to ensure that their people are being catered for and their health is insured under the Arise Care.”
The Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Scheme is a corporate body established by Cap No 12 Laws of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly 2021 by the Government of Akwa Ibom State to improve the health of all residents at an affordable cost.
