Kwara State Government on Friday said it had extended its Community Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS) for  another five years to enable  more people to  access its services.

Alhaji Abdulrazak Abdulsalam, the Executive Secretary of the State Committee on Community Health Insurance, said this  at a stakeholders meeting in Ilorin.

He said  Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed  had approved the extension of the scheme to allow people access quality healthcare facilities.

The executive secretary said the scheme would cater for three local government areas per quarter.

Abdulsalam urged  stakeholders to be dedicated to their duties, assuring that the scheme would soon expand to other local government areas of the state.

He said the scheme would move to Kaiama, Ilorin East and Ifelodun local government areas, adding that it would also  extend to nine other local government areas before the  end of the year.

Dr Segun Opowoye, the Regional Manager of Hygeia Community Health Care, said the scheme was implemented to provide quality, affordable and accessible healthcare to the people.

Opowoye urged health workers to encourage people to enroll in the scheme.

According to him, people were expected to register with N500 to enjoy free medical services, including free drugs, throughout the year.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the scheme is a family medical health plan covering members against financial and health risks arising from unplanned medical emergencies and illnesses.

It also covers medical bills for healthcare services in a network of hospitals.