There is no contesting the fact that health is wealth. To demonstrate his appreciation of this time-tested cliché, Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa state made health a critical component of his administration’s 12-point agenda, where aggressive efforts are being made to promote access to basic healthcare services for every Jigawa state citizen.
To demonstrate his resolve to ensure the provision of quality healthcare delivery for all residents of Jigawa state, Governor Namadi has since assumption of office a little over one year ago, continued to prioritise healthcare delivery by using the state’s resources to combat the daunting challenges impeding the healthcare sector,
Barely one year in, the dogged commitment of the current administration in the state is obviously paying off. The government is gradually but steadily reversing the decades-long trends of the high rate of maternal and child mortality, stunting rate, disease, premature death, and other indices reflecting the huge gap in the state health sector. And it is a work in progress.
Indeed, in line with this spirit of work in progress, Governor Namadi launched a programme on 1st October 2024, the day Nigeria marked its 64th independence anniversary, that has a direct impact on the life of the common man in the state. On this day, the governor flagged off social health insurance where 14,500 vulnerable persons enrolled at one fell swoop.
To ensure inclusivity, 500 beneficiaries with fewer privileges were selected from each of the state’s 287 political wards. The beneficiaries included poor and vulnerable households, pregnant women, elderly persons 65 years and above, persons with disabilities, sickle cell disease patients, HIV/Aids patients and orphans.
The event was held at the capital city of Dutse, which, as should be expected, was agog with dignitaries from within and outside the state, including international development partners and less privileged persons.
During the formal flag-off, beneficiaries, comprising mostly of the less privileged who, due to the challenges of poverty, have been having challenges accessing healthcare services, narrated chilling testimonies while lauding the governor for the initiative.
The beneficiaries’ responses and testimonies, encapsulating the challenges they face in accessing healthcare services, were touching and amazing. Now, the governor has inspired new hope for a better life with a better chance to access basic healthcare services at all times.
As part of its commitment to the programme, the state government released one billion naira to the Contributory Health Insurance Management Agency as the beneficiaries’ annual contribution.
Speaking during the flag-off, Governor Namadi said his administration was determined to revitalize the healthcare sector by boosting healthcare service delivery.
‘We will make it competitive, reliable and accessible for all citizens. Our overall goal is to ensure no person dies in Jigawa state because of medical bills or lack of access to effective basic healthcare services, and we are ready to invest in achieving this goal.
“In our effort to reposition our healthcare delivery system, we have also undertaken a gap analysis in the performance of all our health facilities. As of May 2023, there were 38 ongoing projects worth over N17.2 billion at various stages of completion.
“These largely included the provision of infrastructure, supply of medical equipment and consultancies in respect of the specialist hospitals in Hadejia and Kazaure, Gumel Orthopaedic Hospitals, the establishment of new general hospitals and upgrading other primary and secondary healthcare facilities,” he added.
Continuing, Governor Namadi said, “We have assiduously worked to complete all the projects with additional payments of about N1.3 billion. We have also undertaken additional projects involving solar and conventional power supply in General Hospitals, the construction of Midwife’s Quarters in Primary Health Centres, and several other projects.
“We are also working around the clock to accomplish the State vision of at least one truly functional Basic Health Clinic per Political Ward, one General Hospital for each State Constituency and a Specialist Hospital for each Senatorial Zone.
“I have already given matching orders to the Ministry of Health to ensure that all the Specialist Hospitals and other upgraded Secondary facilities are commissioned and fully functional before the end of 2024,” he added.
Notably, although social health insurance is for primary healthcare, beneficiaries will have access to free service up to the tertiary level.
Governor Namadi’s latest efforts have further boosted the Jigawa Contributory Health Insurance Management Agency (JICHIMA), which commenced in 2022. So far, the agency has over 220,000 enrollees, including over 45,000 civil servants, their families and dependents.
The Agency recently enrolled 14,315 persons from the non-formal sector as approved by the state under the Social Health Insurance Scheme.
According to JICHIMA Executive Secretary Pham. Hamza Kakuri, the scheme has accredited 281 health facilities as service providers across the state.
Interestingly, the Jigawa state government also declared free medical treatment, including dialysis, to kidney failure patients in the state. Five health facilities were selected to ensure the smooth take-off of this free treatment, as the state has already delivered the dialysis machines.
In preparation to expand and enhance the state public healthcare services delivery, the government has awarded the renovation and upgrading of 32 health facilities across 30 constituencies in the state
The renovation and upgrading aim to ensure the facilities provide 24-hour services to meet the growing demand for healthcare services,
Abdullahi Kainuwa, a medical doctor, is also the Jigawa State Commissioner for Health. He said the state was poised to engineer the health sector for better service delivery and listed a renewed focus on the provision of infrastructure and recruitment of human resources for health as part of the governor’s plan to give Jigawa better healthcare.
“To achieve the desired goals, we have in the last three months, recruited 1,100 health workers, including 200 doctors, pharmacies and nurses, while renovation and upgrading of all existing health facilities is ongoing. These include those constructed since the 1970s without any major renovation or upgrading”
“Governor Namadii has also sponsored 194 Jigawa indigene to Cyprus and India for continuing their medical studies, while the sum of sum of N16,033,194,435.57) approved for the construction of Permanent site of the College of Nursing and Midwifery Hadejia Campus, and the sum of N4,898,890,897.00K for the, Renovation / Improvement of College of Health Science and Technology Jahun to enhance the production of manpower to meet up with the increase demands of public healthcare service,” Dr Kainuwa stated.
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