As Government approves N250m on ICT infrastructure
In it’s commitments to boost the scope of the State Contributory Healthcare Scheme, Kano State Government is planning to intergrate retired Civil Servants in to the system to allow them enjoy access to efficient and qualitative healthcare services.
The State Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje made the disclosure while addressing participants of the National Health Insurance Scheme Workshop for all Social Health Insurance Agencies held at Grand Central Hotel, Kano.
Dr. Ganduje represented by his Deputy Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna noted that access to affordable healthcare continues to remain a challenging issue to most of the households due to high level of poverty and significant reliance on out of pocket expenses.
” So, our vision is to achieve a universal Healthcare coverage for all residents of Kano where no one is left behind in accessing healthcare, hence we need to provide a credible and sustainable mechanism for pooling of resources to finance healthcare provisions ” Ganduje said.
He pointed out that for over one and a half years now, the State commenced the implementation of the Contributory Healthcare Scheme which remains one of the most successful reforms in the healthcare sector with over 370,000 enrollees accessing the healthcare services.
” The Scheme is currently operating in 245 healthcare facilities comprising of 134 Primary healthcare facilities, 37 secondary facilities and 74 private healthcare facilities and the State Government has approved the sum of N250m for the provision of ICT infrastructure to meet the desired goal.
” In line with State’s policy drive to strengthen the health system, 5% of the State internally generated and 1% of the LGAs statutory allocation have been dedicated to the health sector under the Kano State Health Trust Fund which will invariably augment the risk pool of the Contributory Healthcare Scheme ” he explained.
Ganduje further expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for introducing the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund aimed at increasing the fiscal space, noting that…” This move allows the State to access the sum of N850m from the National Primary Healthcare Development Agencies Gateway and the sum of N948m from the National Insurance Scheme Gateway “.
In his opening remarks, the Executive Secretary National Health Insurance Scheme Professor Muhammad Nasiru Sambo maintained that the Scheme had taken rebranding effort under three outlined agenda to ensure it’s smooth operation.
” A lot of effort has been undertaken under three points rebranding Agenda which include value reorientation, engendering transparency and accountability and accelerating drive towards achieving health universal coverage.
” In line with this, the Agenda tends to develop a comprehensive flat form between the National Health Insurance Scheme, the State Agencies, the Developing Partners and other Stakeholders in order to make Health Insurance become the best programme in Nigeria ” he maintained.
According to the Secretary, the workshop aims at aliening the National Health Insurance Scheme with State Health Insurance Scheme which had historical and programmatic antecedents.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary Kano State Ministry of Health Alhaji Usman Bala appreciated the effort of the State Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for providing the enabling environment to the Kano State Contributory Healthcare Programme to be the leading State healthcare agency in the implementation of social insurance in the Country.
