IMO MARKET TRADERS TO BENEFIT FROM HEALTH INSURANCE AS NUMTEN SEALS PARTNERSHIP WITH IMSHIA.

By Prince Uwalaka Chimaroke

10- OCT- 2025

The National Union of Market Traders Employers of Nigeria (NUMTEN), Imo State Chapter, has announced a strategic collaboration with the Imo State Health Insurance Agency (IMSHIA) to enroll its members into the state’s ImoCare Health Insurance Scheme.

The initiative, designed to make healthcare accessible and affordable for market traders, will cover beneficiaries across the 27 Local Government Areas of the state.

During an official visit to the IMSHIA headquarters in Owerri, NUMTEN State Chairman, Comrade Collins Madufor, lauded the Agency’s outstanding efforts in advancing health insurance coverage in Imo State. He expressed admiration for the leadership and commitment demonstrated by the Agency in ensuring that residents benefit from quality healthcare services.

Comrade Madufor reaffirmed NUMTEN’s readiness to support and align with Governor Hope Uzodimma’s health insurance vision, emphasizing that productivity in business depends on good health. “A healthy trader is a productive trader,” he noted.

Responding, the Executive Secretary of IMSHIA, Dr. Uchenna Ewelike, commended NUMTEN’s forward-thinking approach to the welfare of market traders and assured them of the Agency’s unwavering commitment to inclusive health coverage.

Dr. Ewelike stated that the collaboration aligns perfectly with Governor Uzodimma’s agenda of extending quality and affordable healthcare to every Imolite, particularly those in the informal sector. He described the partnership as a significant step toward strengthening grassroots health systems and promoting social welfare across the state.