Yobe enrols 30,240 vulnerable residents in state healthcare scheme

The Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency has begun enrolling 30,240 vulnerable residents into the state’s health insurance scheme under the Federal Government-backed Basic Healthcare Provision Fund.

The initiative is aimed at improving access to essential medical services for underserved groups and advancing the state’s target of achieving universal health coverage by 2030.

Speaking at the launch of the enrolment exercise on Wednesday, the agency’s Executive Secretary, Dr Babagana Tijjani, said the programme focuses on safeguarding the health of the most vulnerable segments of the population.

He explained that beneficiaries would be selected from priority groups, including children under five years, who account for 35 per cent of enrolment, pregnant women (40 per cent), the elderly (seven per cent), persons living with disabilities (three per cent), and indigent individuals (14.5 per cent).

According to Tijjani, the indigent category covers widows, orphans, internally displaced persons, and people living with sickle cell disease.

“This intervention aligns with Governor Mai Mala Buni’s vision of building a compassionate and equitable healthcare system that prioritises the needs of vulnerable citizens,” he said.

The enrolment will take place across 162 political wards in the state’s 17 local government areas, excluding communities facing security challenges. Each ward has been allotted 180 beneficiaries.

Tijjani noted that strict guidelines have been put in place to ensure transparency, adding that verification using the National Identification Number is mandatory to prevent abuse of the scheme.

Also speaking during a monitoring visit to some centres, the agency’s Director of ICT, Malam Saleh Ibrahim, described the programme as a reflection of the government’s commitment to inclusive governance.

He added that traditional rulers, community leaders, civil society groups, and development partners have supported the exercise across the state.