By Jeff Agbodo
It was wide jubilation for many indigent patients with various ailments such as hypertension, diabetes, eye diseases, hernia, fibroid, appendicitis, sickle cell diseases, and pregnant women who received free surgery and treatment courtesy of the health insurance scheme of Ebonyi State Government.
Some of the indigent patients have lived with the ailments for many years without any hope or succour due to lack of funds to undertake surgery or seek adequate healthcare services in the hospitals.
The agency enrolled the pregnant women and paid for free surgeries of Cesarean operation, eye, hernia, fibroid, appendicitis surgeries, and other treatment free of charge. Most of the aliments treated free by the agency cost between N300,000 and N1 million for surgeries, and the amount that the indigent patients could not afford.
The free surgeries and treatments were done in designated hospitals such as Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA), David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH), Uburu, Mile Four Hospital, Abakaliki, some General Hospitals and private hospitals, and Primary Health centres in the state.
