Kano expands health insurance to inmates, HIV, hypertensive patients – KSCHMA

Kano expands health insurance to inmates, HIV, hypertensive patients – KSCHMA

The Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA) has extended its healthcare coverage to vulnerable groups, including patients living with hypertension and HIV, as well as inmates in correctional facilities, as Kano expands health insurance access across the state.

The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Rahila Aliyu-Mukhtar, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Kano.

Aliyu-Mukhtar said the agency had enrolled more than 6,000 vulnerable hypertensive patients across the state to help them access medications and investigations they ordinarily could not afford.

According to her, the intervention has contributed to reducing complications arising from hypertension in the state.

“We received a nationally generated report indicating that Kano State has reduced complications arising from hypertension.

“This can be attributed to the hypertensive patients we enrolled under the scheme,” she said.

The executive secretary added that more than 6,000 people living with HIV have also been enrolled in the programme.

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She explained that although antiretroviral drugs were provided through donor support, beneficiaries still require healthcare support for other illnesses such as malaria, typhoid, diabetes, and hypertension.

Aliyu-Mukhtar further disclosed that the agency had concluded plans to enroll 6,000 tuberculosis patients under its vulnerable group programme.

“We realised that TB patients also need support beyond their TB medications because secondary health conditions may arise,” she said.

She also said the agency had enrolled all inmates in correctional centres across the state, describing it as the first initiative of its kind in the country.

Aliyu-Mukhtar noted that the initiative earned the Kano State Government commendation from the Controller-General of Corrections.

According to her, other states have contacted the agency to understudy the implementation model adopted by Kano State.

She said the agency remained committed to reducing out-of-pocket healthcare spending and improving access to healthcare services for vulnerable residents.