Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
As part of efforts to ensure that every resident of Bauchi state has access to quality health care service, the State Health Contributory Management Agency (BASHCMA) said it had commenced the implementation of the formal sector programme where legislators and political office holders are to contribute five per cent of their salaries to health insurance while Civil Servants (State and Local Government Councils) would contribute two per cent.
The Executive Secretary, BASHCMA, Dr. Mansur Dada, stated this during a one-day training for journalists on State Health Contributory Scheme, organised by the agency in collaboration with a USAID Integrated Health Program (IHP), and Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative(J4PD) in Bauchi yesterday.
According to him, BASHCMA is the state social health insurance agency running the federal government basic minimum package of health care services of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), adding that the state has already implemented the vulnerable programme where 53,800 beneficiaries are currently accessing health care services at the 323 primary health care facilities and 26 general hospitals in the state.
He said that the objective of the health agency include the continuous improvement of quality health care services, provide easy financial access to health care services, reduce out of pocket spending, improve the socio-economic status of the citizens and improve private health sector participation.
“The informal sector programme targets those that are neither vulnerable or working in organized setting and it accounts for more than 75 per cent of the population, It can be individual or family plan. Individual plan is N12,000 while family plan is N10,000 per year, that is seven members of a family, any addition to the seven members will cost N11,000,” he said
Dada mentioned some of the challenges of the social health insurance programme in the state include low turnout of registered clients at the PHCs, lack of judicious utilisation of disbursed funds by health facilities, quality gaps especially of human resource for health and untimely submission of data for onward submission.
In his presentation on Financial Risk Protection and Its implication to universal health coverage, a Health Financial Advisor, Khalid Kasimu stated that the media is largely responsible for deciding what issues society discusses in the public sphere as well as issues are on the public agenda.
He noted that the media can help inform and educate the general population on the importance of health care reforms, advocate for increased awareness of reforms through continuous and constant sensitization for policymakers, stakeholders, and civil society groups at the grassroots level.
In her remarks, Coordinator of J4PD, Elizabeth Nange Kah, stressed that: “For quite a while now Bauchi State has been consistent in allocating 15 percent in line with Abuja declaration and it is quite commendable.”
She said:”But our concern as CSO is that at the end of the year, the health budget performance leaves much to be desired and this is due to inadequate releases of funds appropriated.”
“We want to passionately appeal to the Bauchi State Government to improve on budget releases to enable relevant MDAs carry out programs and activities designed to strengthen its health care systems. The recent political will demonstrated by the Bauchi State Government by keying into the health insurance drive is also commendable,” she said
“This singular act will no doubt pave the way towards achieving universal health coverage that is being championed globally,” she added.
