Date: 16 September, 2026
By Abraham Ovuoba
Journalists in Ebonyi State will soon be enrolled in the State Health Insurance Scheme and access quality medical services at a highly subsidised rate.
Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ebonyi State Council, Comrade Nwafor Sampson, disclosed this during a free medical screening organised by the union in collaboration with the Medical Women Association and the Association of Dental Therapists of Nigeria, Ebonyi State Chapter.
Nwafor said discussions were ongoing with relevant authorities to integrate journalists, including those not employed by the state government, into the scheme.
He said the initiative was part of efforts to improve the health and welfare of journalists in the state, adding that arrangements were being concluded to enrol members of the union in the health insurance scheme.
The representative of the Medical Women Association and the Association of Dental Therapists of Nigeria, Ebonyi State Chapter, Mrs Deborah Uchenna, urged members of the pen profession to prioritise regular medical check-ups.
She also advised journalists living with health conditions to adhere strictly to medications prescribed by qualified medical practitioners to safeguard their wellbeing.
The screening, held at the NUJ Press Centre, Abakaliki, featured checks for blood pressure, blood sugar, hepatitis, malaria, eye and dental health, among other medical services.
The exercise formed part of activities marking the union’s 2026 Press Week, with journalists turning out to ascertain their health status and receive basic medical attention.
