By Kayode Idowu
Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has launched Free Healthcare Service schemes for poor and vulnerable people in the state.
Speaking at the launch of the scheme in Damaturu, the governor said: “The new expanded and remodelled Free Healthcare Scheme, which we are launching today, will greatly improve the accessibility of high quality and effective healthcare services in the state, particularly to the poor and vulnerable people, to achieve long-term universal health coverage and promote a healthy and productive society. This new scheme will sustain and improve the gains of the former Free Drugs Programme for the benefit of our citizens.
“The new scheme is a complete package fused into a single framework comprising the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, the State Equity Programme, and the Subsidised Formal Sector Programme. It also includes Deferral and Exemptions and Free Maternal, New-born, and Child Health Programmes that are both operational at health facility levels. These are all aimed to improve access and provide qualitative and affordable healthcare services to our teeming people, especially the poor and the vulnerable.”
He added that: “I am also happy to once again launch and present to the public the YSCHMA Informal Sector Programme that will provide a prescribed package of healthcare services at uniform contributions of NGN12,000 per person per annum, accessible to all self-employed residents at the grassroots.”
He said: “Since the inception of our administration, we have sustained both financial and administrative commitment to the implementation of the former free Maternal, New-born, and Child Health Services programmes in the state.
“This administration has introduced other laudable initiatives such as the establishment of Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency and Yobe State Drug and Medical Consumables Management Agency to primarily expand healthcare financing fiscal space and ensure sustainable supply and availability of high quality, safe, affordable, and accessible drugs, reagents, and other medical consumables at all times, in all the health facilities across the state.”
He disclosed that: “Since the commencement of Contributory Healthcare Financing by this administration, the State Government has consistently sustained the employer statutory 3.25% contribution into the formal sector programme from June 2020 to date, amounting to Two Billion, Six Hundred and Forty-Two Million, Nine Hundred and Forty-Four Naira, Eighty-Four Kobo (N2,642,670,944.84). This in addition to providing Two Hundred Million Naira (N200,000,000.00) in the year 2021 for the state government equity programme that is currently being implemented under the State Contributory Healthcare