The Kwara State Health Insurance Agency (KW-HIA) has opened a new regional office in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area. This is the fourth such office established in the state, following those in Offa, Edu, and Kaiama.
The new office aims to improve access to affordable and quality healthcare services for residents in the southern part of Kwara State. Previously, residents had to travel to Ilorin, the state capital, to enrol in the health insurance scheme.
The Kwara First Lady, Mrs Olufolake AbdulRazaq, spoke at the opening ceremony. She said the new office would “enhance the healthcare delivery system in the Senatorial District” by reducing travel burdens for residents seeking healthcare.
“The opening of the Kwara South Senatorial District Hub of the Kwara Health Insurance Agency at the General Hospital, Omu-Aran will enhance the healthcare delivery system in the Senatorial District as our people will no longer have to travel a long distance to access cheap, effective and efficient healthcare services,” she said.
Mrs AbdulRazaq, who spoke through Mrs Esther Olufolake Oyinloye, wife of the TIC Chairman, Irepodun local government, enjoined the people of Omu-Aran and its environs to avail themselves the opportunity of free healthcare to enrich their health status.
Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam, the Kwara State Commissioner for Health, also spoke at the event. She said the KW-HIA is working to improve healthcare access and financial protection for residents across the state.
The Executive Secretary of the KW-HIA, Dr. Olubunmi Jetawo-Winter, explained that the new office will offer various services, including registration, enrolment, and complaint resolution for the health insurance scheme. She added that Baruten LGA will also get a regional office soon.
Traditional rulers and other dignitaries present at the ceremony praised the government’s initiative. They believe this programme will improve the lives of residents in rural areas, particularly those who previously struggled to afford healthcare.
