The Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) has announced that all verified pensioners of the State Civil Service will begin accessing healthcare services under the state health insurance scheme from 1st November, 2025.
Executive Secretary of RIVCHPP, Dr. Vetty Agala, made this known during the agency’s management meeting held on Friday.
Dr. Agala stated that following the approval by the Honourable Commissioner for Health and the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, all pensioners who previously completed their registration forms have been automatically enrolled in the Rivers State Health Insurance Programme.
Their Pension Identification Cards will serve as access passes to healthcare services.
Dr. Agala explained that the agency will send individual notifications to all successfully enrolled pensioners, specifying the healthcare facilities assigned to them.
She emphasized that all approved healthcare services under the scheme are free of charge for the beneficiaries.
The Executive Secretary also disclosed that the enrolment exercise is still ongoing, noting that some pensioners’ details require further verification.
She assured that the agency is working diligently to resolve any irregularities in the data to ensure no eligible pensioner is left out.
In a related development, representatives of RIVCHPP met with the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Rivers State Branch, during the union’s State Executive Council meeting held on Thursday, 30th October 2025, at the Pension House, Okomoko Street, D/Line, Port Harcourt.
The engagement was aimed at sensitizing pensioners on the benefits of the programme and guiding them on how to access healthcare services from November 1, 2025.
RIVCHPP was represented at the meeting by Mr. Seres Lekia, alongside chairmen of the pensioners’ associations from all 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
- Oruigini is the Head, Information and Media, RIVCHPP.