Yobe state registers 200,000 civil servants in contributory healthcare

Yobe State Contributory Health Care Management Agency (YSCHMA) has registered over 200,000 people in the scheme.

Dr Babagana Tijjani, Executive Secretary of the scheme, told newsmen in Kano on Sunday that the registered people comprised of state and local government workers.

Tijani said the state and local government councils would contribute 3.25 per cent of the work force salaries’ while the employees would contribute 1.75 per cent of their salaries.

According to him, the benefits of the scheme include coverage of all minor and major surgical operations, hospitalisation in secondary health facilities and immunisation.

He said that the scheme would allow pregnant women and children below the age of five, the aged and vulnerable persons to access efficient healthcare services.

The executive secretary noted that the Federal Government’s Basic Healthcare Provision Fund Programme introduced in the state would complement the agency’s informal programme, targeting the poor and vulnerable people.

“Our goal is to make our people have equal access to qualitative healthcare services delivery,” Tijani said.

On workshop organised for the informal sector of the scheme , Tijani said the agency organised workshop in Kano to validate the informal sector programme.

According to him, the informal sector consists of the larger population of the state and that the workshop is to also deliberate on the implementation plan.

The executive secretary said that health financing was one of the priorities for developing the health sector in the state.

Tijani, who commended Gov. Mai Mala Buni for his support and commitment, also lauded the efforts of traditional rulers and other relevant stakeholders for contributing immensely to the success of the exercise.

He appealed to residents of the state to enrol into the scheme to enhance good health care delivery and also appealed to philanthropists to assist in paying premiums for poor people.