Attahiru Ahmed, Author at Tribune Online

In its efforts to provide free medical services for its people, the Zamfara State government has enrolled 34,000 poor and vulnerable people under the basic health care provision fund in the State. The vision of the state government is said to be in a bid to achieve Universal Health Coverage for all residents of Zamfara where no one is left behind in accessing healthcare. This was disclosed on Wednesday by Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle during the official Flag-off of the State Contributory Healthcare Scheme held at Talata Mafara local government area in the state. He stated that access to affordable healthcare has continued to be a challenge for most households due to a high level of poverty and significant reliance on out-of-pocket expenditure, "hence Health Insurance population coverage throughout the country has remained low". According to him, the challenge has forced most states of the federation to domesticate the NHIS based on their religion and traditional value system and other peculiarities. He mentioned that ZAMCHEMA Scheme is envisaged as one of the successful reforms in the health sector with over 15,595 prospective enrollees in the Formal Sector Program and 34,000 vulnerable populations to be covered under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF). "In line with the State’s policy drive to strengthen the State health system, the state government has approved 1% to State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency as equity fund for the vulnerable groups and matching grant for the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) and also to augment the risk pool of the Contributory Health Scheme. "Our vision is to achieve Universal Health Coverage for all residents of Zamfara where no one is left behind in accessing healthcare". He revealed that the implementation of the scheme is a herculean task, thus the smooth operation of ZAMCHEMA and the accomplishment of projected results will essentially depend on the commitment of the Government. In his remarks, the state commissioner for health, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar MC, called on traditional rulers and CBOs to monitor the implementation of the program at facility level in their respective domains. Aliyu MC said health facilities would be provided with funds to procure drugs for the treatment of patients free and to carry out certain maintenance in the facilities. "70% of the fund is for drugs and medication while 30% for maintenance of facility structure like repair of broken doors and windows and other equipment, there is also provision for referral of patients i.e from PHC facility to Secondary facilities up to tertiary facilities and all treatment are free". The Commissioner also disclosed that Governor Bello Matawalle has approved the payment equity share to NHIS to further facilitate the enrolment of additional 12,000 beneficiaries. Earlier on, the Executive Secretary, Zamfara Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (ZAMCHEMA) Dr Abdulkadir Aliyu Shinkafi disclosed that 34,000 beneficiaries were already enrolled in the programme that was flagged up by Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle in November 2021. "National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) accredited the facilities where clients are going to access the free services", he stated. He explained that Target beneficiaries are under 5 children, pregnant women, aged people and less privileged persons. Dr Shinkafi appreciated the effort of the Governor for giving the required attention to ZAMCHEMA and called on beneficiaries and entire citizens of the State to reciprocate the gesture by supporting the policies and ideals of the present administration. In his goodwill message, the Director General of NHIS, Nasir Sambo, who was represented by Zamfara State Coordinator of NHIS, Abdullahi Dalhatu assured support for the scheme in the State. ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE ‘39.6 percent of unmarried university students use sexual performance-enhancing drugs’ Tips on building a happy and healthy relationship Safety precautions to observe at the airport Safety tips to observe when boarding a ride from a ride-hailing app Secure your social media accounts from hackers with these tips Things to look out for before starting a business Striking a balance between your 9-5 job and your side hustle Little or no work experience? Here’s what you can do Top 10 Business Ideas In Nigeria You Can Start With 100,000 Naira Zamfara govt enrols 34,000 poor, vulnerable persons for free healthcare