Bauchi Stakeholders pledge commitment to champion endowment funds for financing health insurance
Bauchi State Health Contributory Management Agency, Director of Programme, Haruna Danjuma Umar
By Akanji Alowoludo, Bauchi
The objectives of the Bauchi State Government of creating the State Health Contributory Management Agency (BASHCMA), of ensuring that people, especially the vulnerable and poorest of the poor accessed quality healthcare service delivery will soon be achieved.
This is as Stakeholders in the Bauchi State Ministry of Health, State Health Contributory Management Agency (BASHCMA), Sharia Commission and Bauchi State Orphans & Vulnerable Children Agency (BASOVCA), Civil Society Organizations and Religious organizations in the state have reiterated their commitment to the scheme to ensure its success.
The stakeholders promised to create awareness among the target audience who are the well to do individuals and cooperate organizations in the state about the potentials of endowment funds which will be used for financing health premiums contributory schemes for the vulnerable population.
The stakeholders made the commitments at the end of a two-day engagement meeting on mobilizing resources through equity funding for Health Insurance Premiums for the vulnerable population, held in Bauchi.
The meeting was organized by USAID funded Integrated Health Program (IHP) with the aim of sensitizing the stakeholders on the need to leverage collaborations for financing Health Insurance Premiums for the Vulnerable population in the state.
During the meeting, the stakeholders developed a detailed action plan, outlining the roles and responsibilities of all the stakeholders in mobilizing resources for health contributory premiums for the vulnerable population with clear timelines to be achieved within six months of the engagement meeting.
Speaking on behalf of Bauchi State Primary health-care Development Agency, the Director Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr. Omar Muhammad assured that the Agency will continue to partner with the State Health Contributory Management Agency(BASHCMA) in charge of health insurance in the state.
He added that the collaboration is to ensure that every beneficiary of health insurance in the state, particularly at the primary health-care level, continue to access quality healthcare services uninterrupted.
He said that all the over 1,350 healthcare facilities across the state are equipped with adequate manpower, drugs, medical equipments to attend to the healthcare needs of the clients.
The Director also assured that based on the impact project and the Basic Health Care Provision fund, there are fundings going directly into the health facilities, not necessarily through the LGAS.
On his own commitment on behalf of the Bauchi State Health Contributory Management Agency(BASHCMA), Haruna Danjuma Umar, Director Programs of the Agency, assured that the Agency will adhere to it’s core values.
According to him, it will do that by ensuring that all the endowment funds for financing health premiums contributory schemes for vulnerable population will be judiciously utilized in accordance with the number of beneficiaries and the amount allocated to each of them.
He said that, “We are assuring you that in all our subsequent Advocacy activities and meetings, we will carry all the representatives of your various organizations along, so that you will be in the picture of everything.”
Speaking on behalf of Journalists for Public Health Development and Initiative (J4DP), Suleiman Alhassan, assured that Journalists in the state through their various media platforms, will continue to do stories, news and documentaries that will encourage government to continue to close the existing gaps as far Health Insurance is concerned.
He added that journalists will engage in budgetary tracking and monitor releases in order to stimulate government to establish endowment funds for financing Health Insurance for vulnerable population.
In his submission, the State Chairman of Bauchi State Network of Civil Society Organizations, Mr Jinjiri G.Garba assured that CSOs in the state will work closely with State Health Contributory Management Agency(BASHCMA) to ensure that all the action plans taken during the meeting are actualized so that the Agency will have funds to cater for other vulnerable population that have not started benefiting from health Insurance in the state.
