Enugu just brought market traders into its health insurance scheme. For once this week, here’s a piece of government reaching someone before the emergency, not after.

The Enugu State Agency for Universal Health Coverage signed an agreement this week with the National Union of Market Traders Employers of Nigeria. It brings registered traders into the state’s health insurance scheme for an annual premium of ₦12,000. The agency’s chief executive, Edith Okolo, said it gives traders access to a healthcare package worth far more than what they’re paying in.

The union’s chairman in Enugu, Ezeoha Eneh, called it a real intervention for low-income traders who’ve been avoiding hospitals because they couldn’t afford treatment. He said the union plans to run sensitisation drives across the state’s markets to get more people signed up.

It’s a small story next to everything above it today. It’s also the rare one where somebody built the safety net before the illness showed up, instead of after. More of that, please.