The Kogi State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has secured a firm commitment of partnership from the Kogi State Health Insurance Agency (KGSHIA) to boost mass enrolment of citizens into the state health insurance scheme.
The commitment followed an advocacy visit to KGSHIA’s headquarters in Lokoja by the NIPR, aimed at deepening stakeholder engagement between the Institute and the Agency.
Speaking during the visit, the Chairman of the Kogi Chapter of the NIPR, Ismaila Isah, emphasized the need to galvanize members and strengthen collaboration between the Institute and key agencies of the state government.
Isah underscored the importance of innovative, grassroots-focused strategies to boost enrolment for health insurance, noting that synergy between NIPR and the Agency would build public confidence and enhance participation in the health insurance scheme. He explained that such strategies would increase public interest in seeking the benefits of better health coverage.
The Chairman commended KGSHIA for prioritizing corporate communications, which he said had led to the Agency’s expanding public reach, and pledged NIPR’s support in further amplifying its visibility.
While calling on practitioners to register with the NIPR, Isah sought collaboration in training the Agency’s information officers, promoting its activities, and supporting broader efforts to ensure wider health coverage. He also highlighted the benefits and opportunities offered by the NIPR and advised PR practitioners to register and remain compliant with the NIPR Act.
Responding, the Executive Secretary of KGSHIA, Dr. Adekunle Aledare, described the visit as timely, stating that the Agency needs the NIPR as a strategic partner to expand enrolment beyond the current number of enrollees, particularly in the informal sector. He revealed plans to scale up public awareness campaigns to drive mass enrolment in the coming months.
A highlight of the visit was the mutual decoration of both leaders: the Executive Secretary was decorated as an advocate of NIPR, while the NIPR State Chairman was decorated as an ambassador of the state health insurance agency.
