FCTA Health Mandate Secretary Offers 150 Free Insurance Slots to NUJ FCT Members …as Perm Sec adds 50 in honour of late brother Mohammed Alkali By Raymond Enoch
The Mandate Secretary of the FCTA Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, has offered 150 free health insurance enrollments to members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council.
In a further show of support, the Permanent Secretary of the Secretariat, Dr. Babagana Adam, pledged to personally sponsor an additional 50 members annually in honour of his late brother, Mohammed Alkali, former Head of the Press and Public Relations Unit at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The announcement was made Tuesday in Abuja when a delegation of the NUJ FCT Council paid a courtesy visit to the Secretariat. With the combined pledges, a total of 200 free health insurance enrollments have been secured for NUJ FCT members, with expectations that more stakeholders may join the initiative.
Dr. Fasawe described the gesture as part of ongoing efforts to expand affordable healthcare access and advance universal health coverage across the Federal Capital Territory. She noted that the media remains a critical partner in health promotion and public enlightenment.
“Prevention is better than cure. If journalists are well informed about our scheme, benefit from it, and access free healthcare services, the message naturally spreads,” she said.
She explained that the FCT Health Insurance Scheme provides enrollees access to healthcare services for one year at accredited facilities upon payment of an annual premium of N22,500. The package covers a wide range of services, including maternal care, surgeries, and emergency treatment.
Dr. Fasawe acknowledged that poor health-seeking behaviour among residents is often driven by financial constraints and lack of trust in the system, stressing that the administration is committed to rebuilding confidence through consistent and reliable service delivery.
“Health is wealth. When we say we will provide healthcare, we will deliver,” she assured.
In his remarks, Dr. Adam emphasized the need for stronger public-private partnerships to expand coverage. He disclosed plans to mobilise additional support from philanthropists and other stakeholders to further increase enrollment figures.
“We need a comprehensive database to engage more partners. Beyond government, we can mobilise philanthropists to scale up enrollment, possibly up to 300,” he said.
He also highlighted concerns over poor remuneration in parts of the media industry, noting that improving journalists’ welfare is essential to strengthening professionalism and objectivity.
“I am making this contribution in honour of my late brother, Mohammed Alkali, who was killed in the line of duty,” he stated.
Dr. Adam urged the NUJ FCT leadership to prioritise the most vulnerable journalists who genuinely cannot afford healthcare as beneficiaries of the free insurance scheme.
Responding, Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, commended the FCT Health Insurance Scheme for expanding access, reducing out-of-pocket expenses, and promoting inclusive healthcare.
“Your initiatives have touched countless lives, from vulnerable families to civil servants, ensuring that no one is left behind,” she said.
Ike reaffirmed the union’s commitment to promoting public awareness of health insurance benefits and advocating improved service delivery. She also appealed for rebates to enable more members to enroll, noting that financial constraints remain a major challenge for journalists.
She called for sustained collaboration to combat misinformation, strengthen enrollment drives, and ensure healthcare becomes a right rather than a privilege for all FCT residents.
