Foundation Offers 1,000 Widows Health Insurance

The Jennifer Etuh Foundation (JEF) in collaboration with the Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA) has flagged off a health insurance programme for 1,000 widows from the 11 districts of Kagoro chiefdom, in the Southern part of Kaduna State.

The foundation also began a free medical outreach to the people of Kagoro and their environs.

Speaking during the ceremony at Fadan Kagoro over the weekend, the foundation programme manager, Mr Joe Otu, said the initiative was designed to remove one of the most persistent barriers to healthcare.

Otu stated that the foundation was aware that for many widows, the loss of a spouse often comes with economic hardship, social vulnerability, and health challenges that go unaddressed.

The foundation added that each widow was also given a gift pack containing clothing and food items. “We are aware that for many widows, the loss of a spouse often comes with economic hardship, social vulnerability, and health challenges that go unaddressed.”

To mitigate this, Jennifer Etuh Foundation in collaboration with the Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA) flagged off the health insurance programme for 1,000 widows.

“The women were drawn from the eleven districts of the Kagoro chiefdom: Gida, Fada, Fadan Daji, Tafan, Agban, Garaje, Kadarko, Kpak,Tum, Kukum Daji, and Mallagum.

“This initiative is designed to remove one of the most persistent barriers to healthcare: cost. Through this state health insurance coverage, beneficiaries will be able to access essential medical services, preventive care, and timely treatment without the burden of out-of-pocket expenses. This intervention is our way of saying: you are seen, you are valued, and your wellbeing is a priority,” Otu posited.

Also speaking, the team lead for the informal sector at the Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Agency (KADCHMA), Shehu Abubakar Sadiq, described the enrolment as the largest single health insurance intervention of its kind in the state.

In his remarks, the chief of Kagoro, Mr Ufuwai Boney, represented by Rev. Stephen Nathan Sambo, described the programme as life-saving, noting that it would significantly reduce healthcare-related financial burdens on vulnerable households.