Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has made equity contributions to the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), directing the extension of health insurance coverage to an additional 50,000 residents across the state.
The beneficiaries will include households affected by flooding, other vulnerable persons and pupils in public primary schools.
The Executive Secretary of RIVCHPP, Dr Vetty Agala, disclosed this on Friday, October 9, 2026, while speaking with journalists after the agency’s third-quarter management review meeting at her office in Port Harcourt.
Agala said the state government’s equity contributions were aimed at strengthening the implementation of RIVCHPP and expanding health insurance coverage, particularly among vulnerable populations who might otherwise face financial barriers to accessing healthcare services.
She explained that the governor’s directive to extend coverage to flood victims formed part of the state government’s response to the impact of flooding on affected communities.
According to her, the initiative recognises the need to address not only the immediate humanitarian consequences of flooding but also the healthcare needs of displaced households and families experiencing financial hardship.
Agala added that extending health insurance coverage to pupils in public primary schools would improve children’s access to healthcare, support their well-being and promote a healthier school-age population across Rivers State.
She noted that the initiative aligns with the governor’s Health4AllRivers vision of advancing universal health coverage by ensuring that more residents, particularly vulnerable households and children, are protected against the financial burden of accessing healthcare.
The additional coverage is expected to widen access to essential health services for the targeted beneficiaries and reduce the financial difficulties associated with medical expenses.
