The Sokoto state government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), with Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Sokoto chapter on the introduced state contributory healthcare scheme for the benefit of workers and their families at all level.
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Signing the document at the state NLC office, the Commissioner of Health, Hajiya Asabe Balarabe, commended the leadership of Sokoto state contributory Healthcare Management Agency (SOCHEMA) towards ensuring the signing of the scheme with NLC.
Hajiya Balarabe thanked NLC and urged them to continue to enlighten workers on the benefits of the scheme.
She expressed the state government commitments and readiness under the leadership of Governor Ahmed Aliyu, to sustain the scheme for the overall health benefits of workers across the state.
Also, in his remarks, the Director General SOCHEMA, Alhaji Yusuf Abu Abdulkarim, said the signing of the MoU mark a significant milestone in the history of health sector in the state.
Abdulkarim noted that, the process would pave way for workers to access free healthcare service delivery not only for them, but for their families.
Base on the signed memorandum the civil servants are to contribute 4% of their salaries for take off of the scheme while the state government will inject N100 million.
“Civil servants on grade level 1 to 6 would contribute N1000 while grade level 7 and above would N1500 monthly.
“The workers who will benefits from the scheme cut across local government education authorities, local governments as well as state.
“We will monitor designated hospitals and clinics to ensure smooth take off of the scheme with a view to ensure effective utilisation of workers funds and to also ensure Justice is done to the stakeholders scheme,” he noted.
The Director General further assured the workers that the agency would ensure efficiency and accountability of workers funds in the state.
In his remarks, the NLC Chairman in the state, Comrade Abdullahi Aliyu (Jungle) said the MoU was signed after a long deliberation between the labour union and SOCHEMA.
He said they would continue to ensure appropriate enlightment of workers to understand the scheme for smooth take off of the scheme expected to commence in January 2024.
“We will not accept any shortcomings from any health personnel or facility saddled with the responsibility of operating the scheme across the state.
“Therefore NLC and SOCHEMA have now signed the MoU and will continue to educate workers at all level on the benefits of the scheme,” he added.
The Healthcare Contributory Scheme is expected to commence in January, 2024 when the state government all arrangements and other documentations for its smooth take off.
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