UHC: Yobe Contributory Healthcare Management Agency inaugurates new business office in Damaturu
From Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
The Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (YSCHMA) on Wednesday, inaugurated a new business office in Damaturu, the state capital, to expand population coverage and enhance enrollment into the informal sector programme for the effective implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the state.
The new business office, which brings the total number of YSCHMA business offices to two, is located beside the Yobe State Specialist Hospital, popularly known as “General Hospital,” along Gujba Road in Damaturu.
The Executive Secretary of YSCHMA, Dr. Babagana Tijjani, while commissioning the new office, said the unit would serve as a marketing hub for the agency by addressing enrollees’ complaints and providing an opportunity for residents of the state capital to be enrolled into the scheme.
Dr. Tijjani further explained that the measure was also meant to help fast-track access to affordable and qualitative healthcare service delivery among the Yobe population.
In response to questions from journalists shortly after the event, Dr. Tijjani said, “The informal sector programme is among the top health priority agendas of Governor Mai Mala Buni’s administration with a mission to ensuring that self-employed groups in the state are provided with affordable and qualitative healthcare service under the current contributory healthcare arrangement of Yobe State Government.”
“YSCHMA will prioritize this going forward in the year 2024,” Dr. Tijjani added.
The Executive Secretary also applauded the genuine commitment of Governor Buni in providing people-centered healthcare service delivery and for building a more sustainable health financing system that will ensure individuals and communities enjoy the required health services at an affordable rate.
In a unique show of commitment and philanthropic disposition, Dr. Tijjani, on behalf of himself and the YSCHMA management team, pledged to identify and sponsor 20 vulnerable individuals into the contributory health scheme.
He called on the YSCHMA marketing unit to immediately commence a rigorous social marketing campaign to promote the scheme and ensure the enrollment of more people into the contributory health scheme. The Executive Secretary also used the opportunity to appeal to wealthy individuals and political leaders in the state and beyond to sponsor the enrollment of vulnerable groups into the health scheme towards the attainment of UHC in Yobe State.
The brief commissioning ceremony was attended by the YSCHMA team and community representatives, including media organizations.
