Gombe agency enrolls orphans in health insurance

Gombe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (GoHealth) has commenced the enrolment of orphans into the state’s health insurance scheme under its equity programme.

READ ALSO:Gombe approves healthcare enrolment of more vulnerable people

The exercise was launched in Gombe on Tuesday by Wife of the Governor, Hajiya Asma’u Yahaya.

According to the governor’s wife, the gesture is aimed at fast-tracking the attainment of Universal Health Coverage in the state.

She said that the enrolment marked a profound step in the state government’s commitment to inclusivity, social justice and improving the well-being of the most vulnerable residents.

Hajiya Yahaya said by extending the programme to the orphans, government had reaffirmed its commitment to leaving no one behind in its quest for a healthier and more equitable state.

She said that the equity programme, which had enrolled more than 1, 000 almajiri pupils in Tsangaya schools and other vulnerable persons across the state, was yielding the expected result.

“It is designed to bridge the gap in healthcare access, ensuring that our most vulnerable populations, including orphans and almajiri pupils, receive the care they need and deserve.

“This noble initiative reflects the sincere purpose of the Gombe State Government to make basic healthcare services accessible to every resident, irrespective of their social or economic status.

“It is heartwarming to note that this same equity healthcare programme, which we are being extended to orphans today, has already brought significant relief to almajiri pupils in Tsangaya schools.

“This inclusion, which was launched a few months ago, has been instrumental to providing healthcare access to this often-overlooked segment of our society,” she said.

Speaking at the occasion, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, said since 2021, no fewer than 100,000 vulnerable and poor children in the state had been enrolled into the scheme.

Dahiru said: “These children who are being registered here today and more that will follow will have easy access to health care facilities of their choice.
“With this registration, all of them will now have access to a primary health care centre or general hospital and will receive care from consultation to investigation to treatment, including surgery.

“Where there is the need for referrals from our point of treatment to another higher centre, all these are provided in the package.

“Our target is to enroll any orphan in Gombe State,” he said.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of GoHealth, Dr Abubakar Musa, said his agency viewed healthcare as not just a basic need but a fundamental right to every individual in the state, regardless of their socio-economic status.

Represented by Hajiya Wasilatu Sambo, the Director, Operations, Standard, Quality Assurance, Rural health of GoHealth, Musa said that denying the vulnerable access to healthcare services would be a barrier to the agency’s drive to attain Universal Health Coverage.

He commended Gov. Yahaya for providing necessary support for the agency to deliver on its mandate of ensuring sustainable healthcare service delivery in the state.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of clothes and blankets to the orphans by Hajiya Yahaya.

She said that the items were donated by Sen. Oluremi Tinubu under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) to support the orphans and vulnerable children in the state.

NAN/Wumi