Free Healthcare: Jigawa Govt, 27 LGAs Distribute Drugs, Hospital Beds Worth N217m
From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
The Jigawa State Government, through the Ministry for Local Government and Community Development, in collaboration with the 27 local government councils, has disbursed drugs and hospital beds worth N217 million to healthcare facilities across the state.
Speaking during the distribution exercise at the Ministry for Local Government, Governor Malam Umar Namadi described the initiative as a special intervention aimed at providing free healthcare services to Jigawa citizens, especially vulnerable groups.
Represented by his Technical Adviser, Alhaji Isah Surajo, the governor highlighted that this effort aligns with his administration’s twelve-point agenda. He introduced new policies to enhance access to free healthcare services for all residents of the state.
One of the key policies, the J-Basic Healthcare Program (Danmodi Care), has enabled over 800 vulnerable individuals across 287 political wards to access free healthcare services under the Jigawa State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (JICHMA).
The governor also noted that under the Basic Healthcare Program, the state employed over 1,000 health workers, including midwives, to reduce maternal mortality.
Additionally, the administration embarked on constructing 30 general hospitals, which are expected to be completed and equipped before the end of his tenure.
Governor Namadi urged the people of Jigawa State to continue supporting the government to achieve more developmental milestones.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Ahmed Garba MK, represented by the Director of Primary Healthcare in the ministry, Balarabe Alhassan, described the initiative as a collaborative effort between the ministry and the 27 LGAs.
This partnership aims to ensure that less privileged individuals have free access to basic healthcare services in their communities.
According to the commissioner, essential drugs worth N135 million are procured quarterly through a joint effort between the ministry and the LGAs. These drugs are distributed to Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) across the state.
In addition, hospital beds worth N82 million, including mattresses, pillows, and bedsheets, have been procured for distribution to existing PHCs in the 27 LGAs.
He further assured that the quarterly procurement of bedding would continue in the first quarter of 2025 to ensure more PHCs benefit from the initiative.
