By; USMAN NASIDI, Kaduna
The Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA), has partnered with the Rigasa Action And Awareness Forum (RAAF) Kaduna over its mandate to sensitize people of the Rigasa Ward, Igabi Local Government Area towards the health benefits of its ongoing health scheme programnes.
During a one-day programme organized by both parties with the aim of creating more awareness to the people of the community at Government Secondary School (GSS) Rigasa on Sunday, the Ag Head of Business development and Enrollment Department (KADCHMA), Malam Ibrahim Mohammed, explained that the programme is aimed at bringing more benefit to the people towards health maintenance.
He added that, the Kaduna State Government is among the first states to implement the programme initiated by the federal government which is aimed at curbing health management challenges to it citizens, and has so far, enrolled over 43% of those who are registered and benefiting under the programme.
He said, “the authority has engaged over 250 public and private healthcare facilities to provide various services which include Emergency Care, Antenatal, Delivery, Neonatal, Surgery, Internal Medicine, Gynaecologic, Child Care, Chronic Diseases Management, Family Planning, Immunization, Blood Transfusion, Dental, X-Ray, Laboratory Services, Prescribed Drugs And Ophthalmic Care.”
According to Mr. Mohammed, the programme is initiated to help facilitate the process of individual health maintenance through its third party agency in which the state government gives 1% contribution for the benefit of the less privileged under its third package and children below the age of five years with pregnant women.
Adamu Abdullahi, representative of the United Comprehensive Health Management Limited and Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), as Third Party Association (PTA), disclosed that the programme is being classified into three different categories that is aimed at carrying everyone along as a beneficiary.
He said, “the formal services is targeted at civil servants in which 3% of their salaries are being deducted each month and are given the opportunity to register six people with children below 18 years, while the informal is meant for business men who are to pay for registration per year either as individuals or family.
“We have primary and secondary services and we only admit patients under our packages for just 48 hours after which a referral is made if the case is beyond the primary level, but the facilities must have to seek authorization code from us for acceptance and give approval before any activities can take place.” Adamu said.
In his remarks while appreciating the scheme, Isma’il Muhammad, the President Rigasa Action and Awareness Forum (RAAF), expressed gratitude towards the state government for bringing the programme to their door steps and partnering with the agency for a better health maintenance and sensitization of the community.
He appealed to KADCHMA authorities to further look into issues bedeviling the people of the community regarding health management and pave ways for them to be greater beneficiaries of the scheme, considering the low awareness among the people of the community.
