From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
The Emirs in Jigawa state have called on Jigawa State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (JiCHMA) to improve it’s free healthcare program by ensuring justice and transparency through proper monitoring of the program.
The calls was made when the team from JiCHMA under the leadership of Governor’s Technical Advisor on health Alhaji Isah Surajo paid a visit to the Emirates to seek for their support on the selection of additional 287,000 beneficiaries across the state.
Speaking during the visit, His royal highness, the Emir of Kazaure Alhaji Najib Hussaini Adamu commended Governor Namadi for the effort and urged the JiCHMA to deploy new digital mechanism for monitoring the program.
The Emir who called for more efficiency in the program, decried finishing of medicines within unexpected time,” it is unfortunate and unbelivable for Government to release N500,000 to primary health facility but in less than two weeks patients can’t get the medicine in the same facility”.
His royal highness then advised the agency to install cameras in the facilities and deploy other techniques for monitoring the program to ensure the less privilege people benefit from what government is allocated to them.
Also responding to the team, His royal highness the emir of Ringim Dr. Sayyadi Abubakar Mahmoud who was represented by the Senior council member of the emirate and Madakin Ringim Alhaji Bashari Shu’aibu, appreciated the visit and commended Governor Malam Umar Namadi for this effort.
The emir who appealled for more efficiency in the program said, the beneficiaries are always suffering with delay of a Code given to them in the verification process, in which led to disqualifying majority of the beneficiaries.
His royal highness then promised to do all their best to ensure the right beneficiaries are selected.
Speaking earlier, the Technical Advisor on health to the governor Alhaji Isah Surajo, urged the traditional leaders to support the selection of fresh 287,000 free healthcare beneficiaries across the state under Jigawa state Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (JiCHMA).
He explained that, the present administration is committed towards improving the health of it’s citizens through various projects and programs across the 27 local government areas in the state.
While making his remarks during the visit, the executive secretary Jigawa State Contributory Health care Management Agency (JiCHMA) Pharmacist Hamza Kakudi explained that, to ensure Justice and transparency, the agency formed a selection committee including traditional leaders to ensure the right beneficiaries are selected.
He said, the executive Governor approved the additional number of beneficiaries from 500 to 1,000 from each of 287 political ward with additional of another 500 approved by each local government council making a total of 1,500 beneficiaries from each political ward in the state.
According to him, a selection committee was formed from each Ward under the Chairmanship of executive councilor with members that comprised traditional district head, Ward Development Committee (WDC), health focal person, women leader, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and religious leader of each Ward.
Pharmacist Kakudi added that, the criteria to select the beneficiaries includes a less privilege person, children under five years, Sickle-cell patients, Orphans, Person’s With Disabilities (PWDs), elderly people from 65 years to above and HIV patients.
He then assured more support and commitments from the government and urged the traditional leaders and entire Community to monitor the selection process to ensure the right beneficiaries are selected.
