Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe has sponsored the enrollment of 100 poor and vulnerable people under the ‘Expanded Healthcare Services Scheme’ in the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Lawan Gana disclosed this at the inauguration of the exercise on Monday in Damaturu.
He said the governor inaugurated the Yobe State Expanded Healthcare Services Scheme in the past two weeks.
He said the governor made a personal commitment to support the enrollment of 100 poor and vulnerable persons.
“Today, in fulfilment of that pledge, we are kick-starting Buni’s personal sponsorship,” the Commissioner said.
He said that the scheme targeted all vulnerabilities such as disability, poverty, pregnant women, children older than five, and sickle cell disease patients.
The commissioner said, ”in order to achieve universal health coverage, the government could not do that alone.
“There is a need for the affluent, philanthropists and organisations to support the government by emulating Buni’s gesture,” he said.
According to Gana, the state government is targeting 80 per cent of the population to be covered under the scheme.
Also speaking, Dr Babagana Tijjani, the Executive Secretary, of Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (YOCHMA), said the agency was determined to ensure that programmes under the agency commence soon.
“We have the formal sector programme, which civil servants of state and local government are currently benefiting from.
“While other parts of the population benefit from the informal part of the programme,” he said
Tijjani added that the ‘Equity and Basic Healthcare Programmes’ were meant for the vulnerable members of society.
He urged indigenes of the state to join the programme to achieve universal healthcare coverage.
A visually impaired beneficiary, Malam Ali Bukar, lauded the gesture, especially to the vulnerable population of the state. (NAN)
