Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara says 34,000 vulnerable persons have access to free healthcare under the state government’s Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHPF).
Matawalle, represented by his Deputy, Sen. Hassan Nasiha, made this known at the event organised to unveil the BHCPF by State Contributory Health Care Management Agency (ZAMCHEMA) held in Talata Mafara town, Talata Mafara Local Government area of the state.
“As we all know, access to affordable healthcare continues to be a challenge for most households due to the high level of poverty and the Health Insurance population coverage throughout the country has remained low.
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“This challenge forced most states of the federation to domesticate the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) based on religion and traditional value systems and other peculiarities.
“I am happy to say that, the scheme is envisaged as one of the successful reforms in the health sector in the state with over 15,595 prospective enrolles in the Formal Sector Programme and 34,000 vulnerable population to be covered under the BHCPF”, Matawalle said.
He said that the scheme is part of his administration’s intervention towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by ensuring all residents of the state have access to effective, quality and affordable health care services.
“This is also part of our vision to protect families from the financial hardships of huge medical bills and ensure improvement in the healthcare throughout the State.
“Our vision is to achieve UHC for all residents of the state, no one is left behind in accessing healthcare services”, the governor added.
He commended the state ministry for health and the agency for their commitment tp the success of the scheme.
“This is a clear indication that both ministry and agency have all it takes to be a point of reference in achieving the UHC in the state”, he explained.
The commissioner for health, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar, called on traditional rulers and Community Based Organisations to monitor the implementation of the program at facility level of their respective domains.
Abubakar said that the state government has bought drugs and other consumables to ensure free treatment of all beneficiaries under the scheme at all facilities in the state.
“There is also provision for referral for patients from Primary Health Care to Secondary up to Tertiary facilities”, the commissioner said.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary ZAMCHEMA, Dr Abdulkadir Shinkafi said all the 34,000 beneficiaries of the scheme comprised under five children, pregnant women, the aged and other categories of less privileged and vulnerable groups.
Shinkafi noted that the NHIS has accredited and certified all the health facilities where clients are going to access the free services.
He called on beneficiaries and the citizens to appreciate and pray for the gesture of the present administration under Matawalle.
NAN
