Anambra Health Insurance For Poor And Vulnerable Citizens

Report: By Chukwuka Ugokwe, 
Edited with analysis: By Sylvia Tochukwu-Ngige |  sylviangige.com Where women’s power meets real life.

June 22, 2026

The Association for the Eradication of Tuberculosis, TB Network Anambra State, is calling on government to extend the National/State Health Insurance program to vulnerable citizens, especially the poor.

Speaking at the group’s Quarterly Integrated CLM State Press Briefing in Awka, State Coordinator Ify Unachukwu said most poor, less educated, and unemployed residents cannot afford out-of-pocket healthcare costs.

She also raised concerns over the misappropriation and mismanagement of primary healthcare funds. According to her, clean and accountable funding is critical for a strong public health system.

Key demands from TB Network:
1. Expand health insurance.  Extend coverage beyond the formal sector to include informal workers and low-income households. 
2. Tackle disease burden: Scale up prevention, treatment, health education, and community partnerships to fight HIV, TB, Malaria, and GBV. 
3. Fix PHC gaps: Ministries of Health, Budget, and Finance must urgently release funds for TB drugs, recording/reporting tools, and commodities to prevent drug stock-outs and multidrug-resistant TB.

Unachukwu stressed that every ward should run health promotion programs to boost disease awareness and community participation. She also urged communities to support their PHCs through volunteering, donations, and advocacy for better funding.

On domestic resource support, she called for better communication between government, private sector, and communities to improve responses to HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria.

She listed Anambra’s progress so far: cleaner environments, restored water and electricity, improved healthcare access, and enrollment of over 56 residents into the ASHIA-BHCPF program.

On Gender-Based Violence
Unachukwu condemned GBV in all forms — rape, domestic abuse, FGM, early marriage, and killing. “Civil Society for the Eradication of Tuberculosis is calling on all stakeholders to fight GBV. If you see something, say something,” she said.

She concluded that Nigeria must strengthen health systems, commit adequate resources, and scale up evidence-based interventions like Integrated Community-Led Monitoring for people-centered care.

Sylvia’s Take

Health insurance in Anambra can’t keep acting like a VIP pass for civil servants only. 

TB Network is right: the poorest, jobless, least educated citizens carry HIV, TB, Malaria + GBV burden, yet pay 100% out-of-pocket. That’s not UHC. That’s survival of the richest. 

3 hard truths from Ify Unachukwu:
1. Expand ASHIA/NHIA now. Traders, farmers, hustlers deserve cover too. Health isn’t a salary perk. 
2. Stop PHC money drama: Funds for TB drugs + tools must be released and accounted for. Drug stock-outs = drug-resistant TB. Nobody wants that. 
3. Ward-level health education: Every community must own their PHC. Volunteer. Donate. Speak up. 

56 people enrolled in ASHIA-BHCPF is progress. But with millions vulnerable, we’re barely scratching the surface. 

Bottom line: Universal Health Coverage won’t work if the poorest are excluded. TB Network’s push is simple: insure the vulnerable, fund PHC’s properly, and let communities lead. 

Sylvia Tochukwu-Ngige  | Where women’s power meets real life.

Links:

https://www.nhia.gov.ng
https://ashia.an.gov.ng
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tuberculosis