Emir of Bauchi partners NHIS on coverage

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

The Emir of Bauchi, Dr. Rilwanu Sulaiman Adamu, has pledged to partner and  support the National Insurance Scheme (NHIS) extend health insurance cover to more people, in order to relieve families in his domain of huge medical bills.

He made the pledge in his palace while receiving the Bauchi State Coordinator of the Scheme, Sani Garba Affa, who led staff of the State office on an advocacy/sensitization visit to the palace.

The Emir promised to mobilize his district heads and educate them on the inherent benefits of the Scheme’s programmes particularly the Community Based Social Health Insurance Programme (CBSHIP).

He thanked the state office of the Scheme for scaling-up publicity, saying that would create better understanding of its programmes.

Earlier, while briefing the Emir on the successes recorded in the state, the state coordinator said 54, 467 federal civil servants in the state are enjoying the Formal Sector Social Health Insurance Programme through 44 facilities, noting that efforts were on to revive the State Formal Sector Programme for the State civil servants.

He noted that 30,055 students from eight tertiary institutions in the state were covered under the Tertiary Social Health Insurance programme (TISHIP) and thousands of pregnant women and children under five were given health care under the NHIS-MDGs/MCH programme, in six LGAs of Bauchi, Gamawa, Katagum, Misau, Ningi and Toro.

Affa also mentioned that the Public Primary Pupils Social Health Insurance Programme (PPPSHIP) will be introduced, in collaboration with the State Government through the Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

He said communities of Andiwa Mutual Health Association in Katagum Zone, Yuguda Community in Bauchi LGA and Salama Women Development Initiative in Toro LGA have indicated interest in joining the CBSHIP of the Scheme.

He promised to collaborate with the Emirate and other stakeholders, in order to scale-up enrollment, with a view to achieving the Universal Health Coverage mandate of the Scheme in the state.