By Kelvin Obambon
Speaker of the Cross River House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem has called for a transformative, community-driven approach to building a sustainable health insurance system in the state.
Ayambem made the call on Wednesday at the opening of a 2-day capacity building workshop for the governing board and management staff of the Cross River State Health Insurance Agency (CRSHIA), taking place at Monty Suites, Calabar.
The Assembly Speaker who was represented by Rt. Hon. Hilary Bisong, Chairman, House Committee on Health, emphasized that healthcare is a fundamental right, not a privilege, and urged stakeholders to prioritize people over politics.
In his address titled “Daring to Transform: Building a Health System that Puts People Before Politics,” Bisong who attended the workshop in dual capacity, highlighted the urgency of creating a robust, inclusive health insurance framework to achieve universal health coverage. He stressed that CRSHIA must move beyond bureaucracy to deliver tangible benefits to citizens.
Drawing inspiration from global success stories, Bisong cited Rwanda’s Community-Based Health Insurance, which covers over 90% of its population through government subsidies and community participation, and Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme as models for Cross River. He also referenced Taiwan’s single-payer system and Indonesia’s Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional, noting that vision, discipline, and political will were key to their achievements. “These countries didn’t have more resources than we do,” Bisong said. “What they had was the audacity to put their citizens first.”
He proposed six pillars for a sustainable health insurance system in Cross River: community ownership through grassroots engagement; fair and scalable financing with subsidies for the poor; digital transformation using tools like biometric smart cards; transparent leadership involving community leaders and civil society; professional development through continuous training; and performance monitoring to track enrollment and impact. He emphasized that health insurance must remain apolitical, driven by compassion and evidence, and pledged legislative reforms to strengthen CRSHIA’s independence and financing.
Bisong then urged stakeholders to view the workshop as a turning point for building a legacy of transformed lives and stronger communities. “Health is the soul of development,” he declared, calling for courage and consistency in creating a system that protects potential and dreams. He envisioned Cross River State as a model for health equity in Nigeria and Africa, urging all to “dare to transform” for a healthier and more prosperous future.
Also speaking, Director General of CRSHIA, Chief Godwin Iyala, emphasized the Agency’s progress and its emerging role as a hub for cross-national health insurance ideas. Iyala expressed gratitude to Governor Bassey Otu for his strong support and vision of making Cross River a reference point in health insurance coverage in Nigeria.
He highlighted the importance of the ongoing capacity-building workshop, noting that top industry experts would facilitate the training. He encouraged participants to learn and apply the knowledge to enhance the Agency’s growth. He concluded by stressing the collective responsibility to improve the Agency and positively impact the lives of citizens through effective health insurance management.
On her part, Chairman of Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency, Hon. Elizbeth Ogbaga, said “Cross River and Ebonyi have many things in common.” Ogbaga said the workshop would provide opportunity for both agencies “to cross fertilize ideas”, stating that they share similar challenges and problems especially on health.