Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Nkechi Eze, Director of the Directorate of Force Medical Services, Nigeria Police Force, has been honoured with the 2026 Health Insurance and Managed Care National Leadership Award of Excellence in recognition of her contributions to healthcare delivery and health insurance advocacy within the Nigeria Police Force.
Speaking shortly after receiving the award, AIG Eze described the recognition as a testament to the Directorate’s commitment to providing quality healthcare services to police personnel, their families, detainees and members of the public.
She said the award affirmed that the Directorate was fulfilling its mandate of safeguarding the health and wellbeing of officers, stressing that effective policing depends on a healthy workforce.
“This award shows that we have been doing well and carrying out our responsibilities. As a healthcare directorate, our duty is to serve the public, our police officers, their families, people in detention and suspects in our custody. We are committed to ensuring that their healthcare needs are adequately met,” she said.
According to her, maintaining the physical and mental wellbeing of police officers remains a top priority because officers can only perform their constitutional duties effectively when they are healthy.
She noted that the recognition would encourage the Directorate to sustain and improve its healthcare services across the Force.
On the state of universal health coverage in Nigeria, AIG Eze dismissed suggestions that it was lacking, pointing to the significant progress made by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in expanding access to affordable healthcare.
She explained that the health insurance scheme has substantially reduced out-of-pocket medical expenses for police personnel, making healthcare services more accessible to officers across all ranks.
“The National Health Insurance Authority has done a lot. Police officers are among the beneficiaries, and it has helped make healthcare accessible without officers having to pay directly from their pockets,” she said.
The senior police officer further disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force has one of the largest enrolments under the national health insurance programme, with a significant percentage of officers benefiting from the scheme.
While acknowledging that there is still room for improvement, she urged Nigerians to embrace health insurance, describing it as a work in progress that continues to deliver positive results.”Health insurance is working. What we need is patience and greater participation. As more people key into the scheme, it will continue to improve and provide even better healthcare services for Nigerians,” she added.
The 2026 Health Insurance and Managed Care National Leadership Award of Excellence recognises individuals and institutions that have demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to advancing health insurance and quality healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
