One hundred and ten Nigerians have been offered free healthcare services by Nigeria’s Super Eagles star and Canada’s Club de Foot Montreal striker, Sanusi Ibrahim.
The international footballer paid enrollment fees for 110 beneficiaries in Nasarawa State for a period of one year through his SI14 Foundation to the Nasarawa State Health Insurance Agency, NASHIA.
NASHIA Identification cards for accessing free healthcare services were distributed to the beneficiaries by the striker on Tuesday, January 1 in Keffi, Keffi Local Government Area of the state.
Ibrahim said the gesture was to ameliorate the hardships faced by several citizens including the beneficiaries in accessing healthcare delivery, noting that the 110 beneficiaries included widows, pregnant women, people living with disabilities, children under the age of five, vulnerable people and the aged in Keffi.
“I made this effort because I know the situation for some people in the country is hard. That is why it is difficult for them to go to the hospital to receive basic healthcare needs”, Ibrahim said.
While assuring that he would continue to work closely with the Agency to sensitize locals in Keffi on the importance of health insurance towards ensuring increased enrolment into the scheme, Ibrahim urged Nasarawa State, local governments and well-meaning Nigerians to support his effort by getting more residents enrolled.
“I thought deeply about it and decided to support them by sponsoring their enrollment into the Nasarawa State Health Insurance Agency. So when they came to me and proposed the idea, I embraced it wholeheartedly because it is a wonderful idea and a noble way to give back to the community,” he said.
A beneficiary, Mr. Nwosu Benedict, urge Nigerians to emulate Ibrahim to enhance access to healthcare delivery by the citizenry.
“I am happy to be here. It’s not about spraying money here and there. What the young man has done will go a long way in helping some of us have access to healthcare services,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Yahaya Ubam, Executive Secretary, NASHIA commended the footballer for the gesture, especially for providing for the less privileged.
He said, “I am very happy with this development. Instead of people throwing out money without properly managing it, he has decided to impact the lives of the people of his community.
“Spending for health from your pocket is capital intensive especially in the present day Nigeria because we all know what is happening.
“Giving little for the healthcare of others is a big gesture. So we thank him and we will continue to work with him and other well-meaning Nigerians to get many others covered by the scheme”.
Ibrahim featured for Nigeria’s Super Eagles during the 2020 African Nations Cup qualifier against Togo and also played for Nigeria’s Under-23 side.
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