Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna, says over 15,000 vulnerable persons have been put into the Kaduna state health insurance scheme.
Speaking during the distribution of identity cards to pregnant women and children under the age of five, the governor said his administration holds “the conviction that no citizen should be left behind”.
“No community should be overlooked, and no life should be lost simply because they cannot afford the needed care,” he added.
Represented by Hadiza Balarabe, the deputy governor, Sani said his mission since taking office has been to “bring healthcare closer, make healthcare cheaper, and ensure healthcare is better”.
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“We have revitalised primary health centres and general hospitals; we have equipped them, staffed them, and powered them, because healthy people make a stronger Kaduna, a stronger Kaduna makes a stronger Nigeria, and a stronger Nigeria serves all of us,” the governor said.
He thanked donor agencies and development partners like UNICEF and the Gates Foundation, noting that the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) deserved special commendation.
He commended CHAI for the “direct enrolment of over 20,000 vulnerable persons, mostly women, into the scheme, which is a ‘powerful proof of what partnerships can produce”.
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The governor also thanked traditional rulers in the state for using their influence to mobilise people for healthcare services.
He noted over 70 percent of healthcare spending in Nigeria is still out-of-pocket, which places a heavy financial burden on the poor.
Umma Ahmad, commissioner for health, said the event was a bold statement “to ensure that no woman or child in Kaduna State is denied access to quality healthcare due to financial barriers”.
“Beyond the numbers, the impact of today’s flag-off will be felt in the improved access to life-saving maternal, newborn, and child health services across all primary healthcare facilities,” the commissioner said.
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“It is a step towards reducing maternal and child mortality rates, improving health outcomes, and building a healthier, more resilient Kaduna state.”
