From Umar Danladi Ado, Sokoto
The Sokoto State Contributory Health Management Agency (SOCHEMA) says it is set to roll out health insurance coverage for between 38,500 and 39,000 civil servants in the state as part of efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage.
The agency has received an N132 million counterpart fund from the Sokoto State Government, the first of its kind since it commenced operations.
The Director-General of SOCHEMA, Malam Yusuf Abu Abdulkarim, disclosed this during a media briefing in Sokoto.
He added that the agency had also received an Award of Excellence in Abuja in recognition of its outstanding performance and the sustained commitment of the Sokoto State Government to its activities.
Abdulkarim said the agency was established in 2018 and commenced full operations in 2021, with the mandate of ensuring that residents of Sokoto State have access to quality and affordable healthcare services.
“We were established with the sole mandate to ensure that all people residing in Sokoto are given the needed healthcare services and to ensure that everybody is taken care of effectively,” Abdulkarim stated.
The DG explained that the agency operates both formal and informal sector programmes.
He said the informal sector programme includes the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), a federal and state government-funded initiative.
According to him, the BHCPF is currently operating in 132 wards across the 23 local government areas of the state, while plans are underway to scale up coverage to 244 wards by next month, with one ward in each local government area.
“The target has been set by the Federal Government to scale up coverage, and directors and enumerators are currently in the field working to ensure that we achieve the scale-up,” he stated.
He listed pregnant women, children under five, people with special needs, the poorest of the poor and the elderly among those covered under the BHCPF programme.
On the formal sector, Abdulkarim said the agency had reached between 90 and 95 per cent in its preparations to commence the enrolment of civil servants.
He disclosed that Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) had been signed with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), while meetings had been held with about 50 affiliated unions, all of which had agreed to key into the programme.
He added that the agency was now awaiting a formal commencement date.
Under the law, he explained, a civil servant, spouse and four biological children below the age of 18 are covered as a family of six.
“Additional dependants will attract an extra premium of between N12,000 and N20,000 per year.
“The state government is pushing for three to four per cent of the basic salary of the civil servant.
“We are expecting nothing less than N180 million to N200 million monthly to ensure that civil servants are taken care of effectively with good quality of care,” the DG added.
Abdulkarim further commended Sokoto State Governor, Dr Ahmed Aliyu, for his sustained support and commitment towards ensuring the success of the agency’s activities.
He noted that the contributory model was adopted in line with Islamic principles in the Northern states, hence the name Sokoto State Contributory Health Management Agency.
On students’ enrolment, Abdulkarim explained that the head of a school clinic is expected to chair the school health committee.
“Members include the SUG President, a representative of the Bursary, a representative of the institution’s executive, and a representative from the SMOH.
“These are the representatives that make up the committee to decide on what to do for the school clinic,” he said.
The DG identified misconceptions as one of the major challenges facing contributory health insurance schemes in Northern states, particularly Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara.
“People have this conception about what a health contributory scheme is all about.
“We keep telling organisations and individuals that instead of giving a person money to go to hospital, hold it for the year so that whenever he is sick, he can visit a facility of his choice,” he explained.
He noted that beneficiaries are guided to select healthcare facilities close to their homes based on proximity and the services available.
On complaints about the unavailability of drugs, Abdulkarim said the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has an approved drug list and that healthcare providers are being trained to prescribe only drugs covered under the programme.
“If a doctor prescribes a drug outside the approved list, the beneficiary will be told it’s not covered.
“That creates the impression that they are being given substandard drugs. That’s why we ensure everyone in the ecosystem is well trained,” he said.
The DG also shared testimonies from beneficiaries, including a woman who delivered safely through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund programme.
“The husband and wife came to the agency to thank us. I asked for their permission to make a documentary so people can see what we are doing,” he said.
He called on more residents to enrol in the health insurance programme, saying many beneficiaries have positive testimonies but are yet to speak publicly about their experiences.