FCTA Health Mandate Secretary Donates 150 Free Insurance Slots to NUJ FCT Members, Expands Journalists’ Access to Healthcare

The Mandate Secretary of the FCTA Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, has announced the donation of 150 free health insurance enrollments to members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ FCT Council), in a move aimed at strengthening journalists’ welfare and deepening public confidence in the Federal Capital Territory’s health insurance programme.

The initiative was unveiled during a courtesy visit by a delegation of the NUJ FCT Council to the Secretariat’s headquarters in Abuja. In a further boost to the scheme, the Permanent Secretary of the Secretariat, Dr. Babagana Adam, pledged to personally sponsor an additional 50 journalists, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 200.

A Gesture Rooted in Welfare and Remembrance

Dr. Babagana Adam explained that his personal contribution was made in memory of his late brother, Mohammed Alkali, who previously served as Head of the Press and Public Relations Unit at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and was killed in the line of duty. He described the sponsorship as both a tribute and a call to collective responsibility toward the welfare of journalists.

According to him, journalists play a critical role in shaping public opinion and holding institutions accountable, yet many struggle with inadequate remuneration and limited access to healthcare. He urged the NUJ leadership to prioritize the most vulnerable members—those who genuinely cannot afford health insurance—as beneficiaries of the free slots.

Promoting Preventive Healthcare and Universal Coverage

Dr. Fasawe described the donation as part of ongoing efforts by the FCT Administration to expand affordable healthcare access and promote universal health coverage. She emphasized that health promotion must focus on prevention rather than cure, noting that journalists who are well-informed and personally enrolled in the scheme would naturally become ambassadors of the programme.

“Prevention is better than cure. If journalists are informed, enrolled, and benefiting from the scheme, the message will spread organically to the wider public,” she said.

She further explained that the FCT Health Insurance Scheme guarantees enrollees access to healthcare services for one year upon payment of an annual premium of ₦22,500. Covered services include antenatal care and delivery, surgeries, emergency treatment, and other essential medical interventions at accredited facilities across the FCT.

Dr. Fasawe acknowledged that poor health-seeking behavior among residents is often driven by financial constraints and a lack of trust in public systems. She assured that the administration is committed to restoring confidence through reliable service delivery and transparency. “Health is wealth. When we say we will provide healthcare, we will deliver,” she stated.

Call for Partnerships and Expansion

In his remarks, Dr. Adam called for stronger public–private partnerships to scale up the programme. He advocated the creation of a comprehensive database that would enable the government to engage philanthropists, corporate bodies, and other stakeholders, potentially increasing enrollment figures beyond the current 200 beneficiaries.

NUJ Commends Initiative, Seeks Sustained Collaboration

Responding on behalf of the union, the Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, commended the FCT Health Insurance Scheme for reducing out-of-pocket expenses and expanding access to inclusive healthcare.

She reaffirmed the union’s commitment to promoting public awareness of health insurance benefits and appealed for rebates or additional support to enable more journalists to enroll. Ike also stressed the importance of sustained collaboration to combat misinformation, boost enrollment drives, and ensure healthcare becomes a right rather than a privilege for all FCT residents.