By
Murtala Muhammad
Civil Servants registered under the Bauchi State Health Contributory Management Scheme’s Formal Sector component are to start accessing healthcare services by July this year.
This is part of plans of the State Health Contributory Management Agency (BASHCMA) to achieve Universal Health Coverage by the year 2033.
BASHCMA is an agency saddled with the responsibility of regulating the provision of affordable and accessible healthcare aimed at reducing out of pocket spending for people of the state.
The Executive Secretary of BASHCMA, Dr Mansur Dada gave the indication while speaking at a One-Day Media Event organized by a Civil Society Organisation, Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD) supported by USAID Integrated Health Program (IHP) held in Bauchi.
The objectives of the Media Event are to improve the participants’ understanding to accurately report progress of BASHCMA on the state’s financial risk protection and increase public awareness on the state health insurance scheme.
Dr Mansur Dada said the scheme currently had in its register, one hundred and thirty four thousand, three hundred and thirty three people in the Formal, Informal and Vulnerable Sector Programmes.
Also speaking the Coordinator of Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative, Ms Elizabeth Kah said J4PD was a confluence of like minds, passionate about public health reportage with a view to influence the people to access health services as well as policy makers to take the right decisions for the benefit of the citizenry.
She said that the Journalists have made it a responsibility upon themselves to report public health issues as their contributions to ensure that members of their local communities are healthy.
The USAID funded Integrated Health Program (IHP) Health Financing Advisor in Bauchi, Mr Khalid Kasimu charged the participants to enlighten people on the State’s Health Contributory Scheme to enable them have access to all the health services offered by the scheme.
He argued that unless the Journalists simplify their reports to the understanding of the locals, the right message would never make the needed impact on them.
The One-Day Media Event drew participants from Broadcast, Print and Online news platforms.
