Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara on Tuesday said no fewer than 80, 000 people have benefitted from the low premium health insurance scheme of his administration.

Ahmed made this known at the inauguration of Ilorin General Hospital which was renovated and upgraded to a secondary healthcare centre.

The governor said the state government would extend the scheme to every local government area in the state within the next five years.

According to him, a patient needed to pay N500 premium to enjoy the state's community health insurance scheme.

Ahmed said the upgrading of the hospital alongside four others in Offa, Share, Omu-Aran and Kaiama was designed to strengthen the secondary health system in the state.

The governor said that his administration would provide functional and qualitative healthcare service to the people.

He said this would be done through the expansion of hospitals, community health insurance scheme, establishment of first rate medical diagnostic centre and continuous enhancement of the state primary healthcare system.

While performing the inauguration, a former Head of State, retired Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, lauded the state government's efforts at transforming the healthcare system in the state.

Abubakar said the provision of qualitative healthcare for an increasing population was "akin to transforming the state into an economic hub of the North Central zone of Nigeria."

"Your government's people-oriented programmes and new developmental efforts, and entrenchment of equality and justice can strengthen our preparedness to work together to build the Nigeria we all desire and deserve," he said.

Abdulsalam urged government at all levels to implement programmes and projects that would elevate Nigerians and provide them with sustainable standard of living. (NAN)