By Zainab Rabo
Promoting healthcare and making the system accessable and affordable to citizens of Jigawa, is one of the twelve points agenda of Jigawa state governor, Malam Umar Namadi as well as one of the Promises made to Jigawa citizens before his election.
To fulfill this promise, after his resumption into office as executive Governor, he introduced a new support to less privilege people through Jigawa State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (JiCHMA) and enrolled thousands of beneficiaries whom majority are less privilege citizens.
The program in its initial stage commenced with five hundreds (500) beneficiaries from each of the 287 political wards across the state, and this year of 2025 reviewed to enroll additional of one thousand from each political wards making 1500 and the total of 430,500 beneficiaries across the 27 local government areas in the state.
Governor Namadi also directed Jigawa State Contributory Health care Management Agency (JiCHMA) to design a selection process that would ensure the enrollment of real beneficiaries from the grassroots of each communities.
To ensure transparency in the selection process, the Governor approved the formation of committee at each political wards, comprising the executive councilor of each political ward as chairman, Traditional District head, Religious leader, Ward Development Committee (WDC), Health Focal person, Women leader and representative of Civil Society Organization of each political ward, Vigilante, CBOs, Miyetti Allah, and PWDs representative,
While speaking on who to benefit from the program, the governor after deliberation during the executive council meeting, identified the selection criteria that would qualify someone to benefit from the initiative.
The selection criteria criteria includes a less privilege persons, children under five years, Sickle-cell patients, Orphans, Person’s With Disabilities (PWDs), elderly people from 65 years to above and HIV patients.
The Governor also engaged traditional leaders whom have a representation in each community to monitor the selection process and ensure that the eligible beneficiaries are enroll to the system.
Meanwhile as part of his commitments towards improving the health of Jigawa citizens and to deliver his campaign promises, Governor Namadi’s administration recruited over 1,000 permanent health workers with additional of 200 Medical and Pharmacists Doctors.
The present administration also improved 119 out of 287 ward health facilities with solar lights, solar powered water, Midwife houses and other equipments, while many Primary Health care centers upgraded to General and specialist Hospitals in the state.
Danmodi’s administration also launched Initiative that, provide free medical treatment for the Sickle-cell, Diabetes and High blood patients among many other developmental projects executed across the state.
