Kaduna state has enrolled more than 400,000 people on the Health Insurance Scheme, registered 391,254 persons in the formal sector, 681 in the informal sector and 12,454 vulnerable persons in the past year.
The deputy governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, who disclosed this at the end of the Project Dissemination Event Demand Side Financing (DSF) project on Monday, said Kaduna state has widened access to basic health care for the people.
She said Kaduna state has sustainably maintained increased funding for the education and health sectors and has designed policies to ensure equitable access to health care for all residents of the state.
Dr Balarabe, who was represented by Special Adviser on Human Capital, Alhaji Sagir Balarabe, said the insurance scheme “is managed by the Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA). Government created the Kaduna Contributory Health Insurance Scheme to demonstrate our resolve in removing financial inhibition to accessing health care for all our people.
“Last Monday I flagged off the identification and enrollment exercise for the commencement of Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) Program in the state. The flag off further shows the progress made in keeping our commitment towards increasing access to Basic Minimum Health Care Services for all residents towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC),’’ she said.
The deputy governor added that BHCPF has further expanded the gateway for 40,000 vulnerable persons who are within the target groups, especially children under the age of five, pregnant women, the elderly and people living with disabilities, to access healthcare.
‘’These recorded achievements demonstrate the gains of the Result for Development–Demand Side Financing Programme implemented in Kaduna state. We are committed to maintain this positive trajectory as a government that put our people first in our governance agenda,” she said.
Dr Balarabe thanked the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and all other development partners, for the sustained partnership and collaboration with the Kaduna state government.
The Director General of KADCHMA, Alhaji Aliyu Saidu, said the Authority has achieved 11% coverage in the last one year, adding that KADCHMA is now focused on optimizing the enrolment of persons in the informal sector.
‘’Given the sizable proportion of this sector relative to the total population of the state and their contribution to the economy, this is imperative if the state is to remain on course towards achieving Universal Health Coverage. 80% of the residents of Kaduna state still pay for health services at the point of care. Majority of these people live below $1 a day,’’ he said.
