By Sani Idris
In a bold move to improve healthcare delivery in Kaduna, the State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA), has inaugurated enrollment booth, zonal offices and call center.
The initiative, was part of activities to commemorate the annual Universal Health Coverage Day Celebration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the KADCHMA enrollment booth was inaugurated at the Sheikh Abubakar Gumi Market, while the call center at the authority’s office in Kaduna.
The Zonal office was also inaugurated at Zakari Isa Memorial Primary Health Care Centre for zone two.
Speaking to newsmen after the inauguration, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Health, Hajiya Umma Ahmed, said the enrollment booth was to enable the informal sector to register and start accessing quality healthcare services without spending too much resources.
Ahmed also said that the call center for Zone 2 at Zakari Isa Primary Health Care Center was to decongest the workload in KADCHMA Headquarter, where they intend to do same in Zone one and three of the state.
She equally said the toll free call center at the KADCHMA’s headquarters was to enable clients from the formal and informal sector to have access to make enquiries on the services they want from facilities and complains.
She said that KADCHMA’s health insurance scheme was aimed at cushioning out-of-pocket expenditures in public and private health facilities amidst the soaring economy.
“The Government of Uba Sani is passionate about the health of the people of Kaduna State. There is an upgrade of health facilities from the primary healthcare centers to the general hospitals. He is totally revitalising this hospitals.
“He is concerned about how people access quality healthcare Services because he knows how expensive it is to access the services.
“He has also promised to improve the renumeration of our workers and assured us that we are going to recruit additional healthcare workers,”she said.
She disclosed that, registration into the KADCHMA’s health insurance for a family comprising the couple with four children under 18 year of age cost a minimum fee of N57,000 for a whole year.
She equally said for individual, it cost N10,050 to register for a whole year.
The Commissioner lamented the high cost of medical services and other responsibilities of bread winners.
“This Government has taken it as a responsibility to ensure that the healthcare and education of the people is catered for. This will reduce the burden of the people at the grassroots, people with disabilities, the vulnerable groups and the less privileged in the society.
“The Governor has recently approved the enrollment of 70,000 vulnerable people, the less privileged and people with disabilities for free into the health scheme,
“In the Kaduna State budget, the health care sector is taking the lion share. In the 2024 budget, the Governor approved 15.06 per cent but in the 2025 budget, he approved 16.07 percent which is an improvement from the past year.
“This is an indication that Governor Uba Sani is willing and ready to ensure that the people of Kaduna state reap the dividends of democracy through the healthcare sector,”the Commissioner said.
The Director-General of KADCHMA, Abubakar Hassan, said the enrollment booth would ease access to every resident of Kaduna state irrespective of their location.
Hassan said it was why KADCHMA unveiled the Information and enrollment centers which gives everyone at grassroots level to access KADCHMA from every primary healthcare center in every ward of the state.
He equally said the call centre was aimed at ensuring that people access information and get enrolled into the contributory scheme.
“Ultimately, we are also expanding coverage which is what Universal Health Coverage is all about.
“Everyone should be covered irrespective of location and financial capacity, the Governor has made it a cardinal point to ensure that people of Kaduna state are healthy.
“He made this possible by making a pronouncement that 70,000 of the vulnerable population will be added to the list of people that are enrolled into the scheme,” he said.
The DG said they are on the scheme in collaboration with the Primary Health Care Board, the Health Supply Management Agency and supported technically and financially by partners like Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, HSDF, LAFIYA program, UNICEF, SCI, Clinton Health Access Initiative among others.
Hassan said that KADCHMA is into the collaboration because the authority has showed how credible it is to the partners in terms of strengthening the state’s health system.
He urged the informal sector to key into the scheme so as to medical services at very cheap rate which would cushion their out-of-pocket expenses on health.
The SSA to Governor Uba Sani on Market Development, Alhaji Abdulrahman Muhammad, said the government recognises the importance of markets in state’s economy.
Muhammad said it was why the governor Uba Sani’s administration is committed to providing quality healthcare services to the market men and women.
“The inauguration of KADCHMA’s enrollment booth at the Sheikh Abubakar Gumi Market is a testament to Uba Sani’s dedication to improving the health and well-being of our market stakeholders.
“The government is committed to supporting the growth and development of our markets. We believe that a healthy market population is essential to the success of our markets. That is why KADCHMA is providing affordable healthcare services to our market men and women through the health insurance scheme,” he said.
The SSA urged all market stakeholders to take advantage of the opportunity and register for the scheme.
He restated Governor Uba Sani’s committed to creating an enabling environment for markets to thrive, adding that they would continue to work with market leaders and stakeholders to identify ways to improve the health and prosperity of markets.
Also, the Caretaker Chairman, Market Union of Sheikh Abubakar Gumi Market, Ibrahim AD, commended KADCHMA for the initiative.
He said prior to the health scheme, market men and women were neglected in many programmes and interventions by the state government to the informal sector.
He urged the marketers to register for their benefits and also inform others who were yet to know.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that stakeholders at the event included Save the Children International (SCI), traditional leaders, market unions, among others.
