Yobe govt, UNICEF enroll 7,000 zero-dose children, women for health insurance scheme

Not fewer than 7,000 Zero-dose poor women and children have been enrolled under the contributory healthcare scheme to access free healthcare services in Gulani and Geidam local government areas of Yobe State.

The enrollees were captured by the Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (YSCHMA) in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), with the aim of giving them access to quality healthcare services at the designated health facilities. 

The disclosure was made by the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Dr Muhammad Lawan Gana, at the opening of a one-day stakeholders engagement meeting. 

The meeting was on the UNICEF support to expand population coverage in two zero-dose local government areas of the state held at the Conference Hall of Olive Petals Hotel in Damaturu. 

According to him, “Zero-dose children are children aged between 12 and 23 months, who have not received their first dose of diphtheria, tetanus, BCG, polio, meningococcal and pertussis containing vaccine (DPT-1).”

Lawan Gana also said that, through the partnership with UNICEF, 3,500 children from each of the two local government areas will be covered with a pre-payment plan to access Primary and Secondary healthcare services in all YSCHMA accredited and engaged health facilities across the selected local government areas.

“The children will be enrolled to receive a full complement of primary healthcare services. When the need for referral arises, it will be made and it is also a free service,” he said. 

The Commissioner further noted that the programme will complement the State Government’s Social Equity Programme, which had since enrolled over 32,000 vulnerable persons across the state.

He explained under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), which is being supported by the Federal Government, over 45,000 vulnerable persons have been enrolled. 

“This is aside from another set of the 2,500 vulnerable persons supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF),” the Commissioner added. 

The Commissioner therefore, commended the State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, UNICEF and other development partners in the state for their various supports in enhancing effective and efficient healthcare service delivery in the state.

In her remarks, the UNICEF representative at the meeting, Hajiya Fatima Muhammad, who is the State Social Behavioral Change Consultant, pledged more support to Yobe state health sector to enable it achieve the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) objectives.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (YSCHMA), Dr Babagana Tijjani, explained that the partnership between UNICEF and the Agency is aimed at enrolling vulnerable population in Geidam and Gulani local government areas of the state into the YSCHMA contributory health scheme. 

Babagana Tijjani commended UNICEF and other development partners for supporting the state.

The meeting also featured a technical presentation by YSCHMA Director Programmes, Suleiman Dauda, who explained that the support intends to address; socio-economic barriers of access to health; Strengthen primary healthcare systems; Build and sustain community demand; and Address gender barriers using innovation to ensure that immunization services reach these children. 

He further said in addition to enrollment of 7000 beneficiaries, the partnership will also Work with CSOs to monitor and strengthen social and financial accountability; Develop demand creation plan to promote utilization; Strengthen M&E and quality of service; and Provide TA support to strengthen YSCHMA Institution among others.

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