Edo Health Initiative benefits over 100 on World Hypertension Day

Edo State Health Insurance Commission organized a medical outreach in Benin City, benefiting over 100 residents with free check-ups and enrollment into the state health insurance scheme

[dropcap]O[/dropcap]ver 100 residents in the New Benin area of Benin City, Edo State, have benefited from a medical outreach organized by the Edo State Health Insurance Commission to mark this year’s World Hypertension Day on Saturday.

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The Commission also used the opportunity to enroll the majority of the attendees into the Edo State Health Insurance Scheme. Beneficiaries included the elderly, indigent, physically challenged, and financially incapable persons.

Speaking at the event, the Head of Planning, Research, and Statistics of the EDOHIC, Dr Stephen Omorogbe, said the event aimed to create awareness among the people about the dangers of hypertension and advocate for preventive medical care.

He stated, “This outreach is pertinent because we see cases of people who just slump and die, people who have cardiac issues without knowing, and there is a need for us to let the people know that attention must be paid to their health.

“They are educated on preventive measures such as regular exercise, managing stress, reduction in the intake of salt and alcohol, and regular check of blood pressure.

The well-being of our people is paramount to us in the commission. We encourage the paradigm shift to preventive medicine.”

Dr. Omorogbe added, “We also checked the body mass index, which is a comparative analysis of weight and height, to determine those who are obese and those who might need to carry out lifestyle modifications to increase their wellness and wellbeing.”

This outreach is pertinent because we see cases of people who just slump and die, people who have cardiac issues without knowing, and there is a need for us to let the people know that attention must be paid to their health.

He said that EDOHIC has about 300,000 enrollees, making it one of the fastest-growing insurance schemes in the country.

Dr. Omorogbe gave a breakdown of the various categories of the scheme, including the Bronze plan at N18,000 annually, the Silver plan at N35,000, the Gold plan at N68,000, and the Enhanced plan at N78,000.

He added that the commission is also designing plans for others and has an equity plan that caters to the vulnerable.

“Today, we will determine those who have no financial power to buy plans and they fall into the category of children under five, the elderly above 60 years, pregnant women, those with disabilities, and indigent people who will be enrolled into our equity plan, and they will be funded by the state and the federal government,” he said.

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One of the beneficiaries, 75-year-old Theresa Akindeno, said she has been enjoying free treatment since registering for the health insurance scheme last year, while Grace Idehen commended EDOHIC for the gesture.