Yobe Approves N200M For Social Equity Programme

Yobe State Government, says it has approved N200 million to fast track implementation of the Social Equity Programme to attain the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the state.

Dr Muhammad Gana, Commissioner for Health and Human Services, stated this at a sensitisation exercise for the 17 local councils’ chairmen, on Thursday in Damaturu.

Gana said the newly introduced equity scheme was one of the numerous healthcare programmes initiated by Gov. Mai Mala-Buni’s administration to support the poor and vulnerable in the state.

He said the programme was designed to enhance access to free and quality healthcare services towards the attainment of the UHC.

The Commissioner urged political leaders, philanthropists and wealthy individuals to key into the equity scheme and other development programmes, to enhance quality healthcare service delivery in the state.

Gana congratulated the councils’ chairmen for their victories in the recent local government election and thanked them for their interest and active engagement in healthcare service delivery at the grassroots.

In his remarks, Alhaji Suleiman Dauda, the Director Programme, Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (YOCHMA), said the equity programme would target pregnant women, Under-5 children and accident victims.

Dauda said the beneficiaries were expected to be electronically enrolled into the programme across the 178 wards across the state, to enable them to enjoy free healthcare services.

While calling for greater political commitment to facilitate smooth implementation of the programme, Dauda stressed the need for closer collaboration between the councils and the Agency to enhance the effective utilisation of the facilities at the grassroots.

Also speaking, Dr Babagana Tijjani, the Executive Secretary of the YOCHMA, urged the participants of the training exercise to provide feedback for continuous improvement of various schemes being implemented by the Agency.

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