Kaduna State has once again taken the lead in healthcare innovation, becoming the first state in Nigeria to launch Secondary School Students’ Health Cover under its Contributory Health Scheme — a bold step hailed as a milestone in the drive toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
This was disclosed by the Director General of the KADCHMA, Malam Abubakar Hassan during a One-Day Engagement Retreat themed “Media as Partners for Attaining Universal Health Coverage through the Kaduna State Contributory Health Scheme (KSCHS)”, where officials spotlighted the achievements of the Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA) and its current challenges.
He recalled that the prelude to the retreat was when Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, was declared Nigeria’s champion of Primary healthcare contributory programme at an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja recently. The event was ” High Level Media Dialogue” on ” Advocacy Solutions to Improve PHC Delivery and Health Outcines in Nigeria Project”.
According to official data from the agency about 6,851 secondary school students have already been fully enrolled under the new health cover, designed to protect young learners from health-related disruptions. Kaduna’s achievement cements its reputation as one of Nigeria’s health sector trailblazers.
The state currently ranks as the fourth best-performing state in Nigeria on contributory health schemes — a feat made more remarkable by its success in overcoming cultural and social barriers that have long hindered enrollment in health insurance programmes.
Supervised by KADCHMA, the scheme runs across 463 active health facilities — both public and private — spread over the state’s three senatorial zones. The Authority also operates an efficient Call Centre and Enforcement Unit to ensure accountability, prompt response, and service delivery.
Equally groundbreaking, Kaduna is the only state in the country leading structured discussions on integrating mental health into contributory health coverage — a visionary move experts describe as a model for other states.
Stakeholders at the retreat commended the Uba Sani administration for sustaining Kaduna’s leadership in health financing, describing KADCHMA’s initiatives as a “living proof that equitable healthcare for all is achievable.”
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