Emir directs district heads to embrace Kebbi Health Insurance Scheme
Emir of Yauri in Kebbi, Alhaji Zayyanu Mohammad-Abdullahi, has directed district heads in the emirate to embrace the Kebbi Social Health Insurance Scheme (KECHES).
The emir sent the directive to the flag-off of the enrolment of beneficiaries of the second tranche of the programme in Yauri Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.
His representative, the Information Officer of the Emirate Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Garba, said KECHES would help to cushion the effect of healthcare challenges in the area.
Garba described the scheme as well articulated and should be embraced in the emirate.
“The provision of healthcare in the society is a necessity for all and I am astonished at how a meagre amount of only N4,800 covers a patient for the whole year.
“We have already met with our village heads and, in turn, unit heads in the emirate to create awareness on the need for people to pay and register with KECHES,’’ he said.
He added that prominent personalities had been contacted to donate generously so that the less-privileged and vulnerable groups could be registered to benefit from the scheme.
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Earlier, Dr l. Jafar Mohammad Augie, Executive Secretary, Kebbi State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KECHEMA), said the Federal Government had assisted the scheme with N427.3 million provided through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).
The BHCF is a Federal Government’s assistance scheme for health insurance in states. It is implemented by the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Augie said the Federal Government’s assistance was enough to cover 35,609 enrolees.
“We set a target to enrol more than 6,368,077 people in Yauri Emirate which has three local government areas.
“The Federal Government’s grant is enough to cover only 0.6 per cent of Kebbi population.
“The release of equity fund as enshrined by the KECHEMA Law by Kebbi State Government will go a long way to complement the Federal Government’s grant,’’ he said.
Augie appreciated the efforts of the four emirate councils in the state, saying that they had been very supportive in the sensitisation and payment of premiums of some vulnerable persons.
He thanked the state government for establishing the scheme, saying it was a legacy and investment in the overall development of the state.
