The Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA) says enrollees can access quality healthcare services for one year with an annual contribution of N10,650.
Sa’idu Bala, KADCHMA’s Head of Planning, Research and Statistics, disclosed this during a health insurance awareness campaign targeting the informal sector to expand access to affordable healthcare.
The campaign, held on Wednesday in Kaduna in collaboration with Manaal Specialist Hospital, Kawo, also featured the commissioning of a KADCHMA information and enrolment office.
“Enrollees can access affordable, quality healthcare services for one year with an annual contribution of N10,650,” Bala said.
“The amount is substantially subsidised through government support to ensure residents can access healthcare without facing catastrophic health expenditure.”
Bala urged traders, artisans and other informal sector operators to take advantage of the scheme to access essential medical services.
He said the initiative aimed to raise awareness among informal sector operators about the benefits of enrolling in the state health insurance scheme.
The campaign had already yielded positive results, he said, with more than 10 people paying and enrolling immediately after the programme.
Bala added that a philanthropist from the Kawo community had sponsored 50 vulnerable residents to access free medical services for one year.
He said the scheme categorised beneficiaries into four groups: formal sector workers, informal sector operators, vulnerable people and other eligible participants. The vulnerable category comprises people unable to afford healthcare, he added.
Bala said health insurance was a critical pathway to achieving universal health coverage and protecting households from excessive medical expenses.
Earlier, Dr Ishaq Muhammad, Chief Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer of Manaal Specialist Hospital, said the new office would bring KADCHMA services closer to residents.
He said the initiative was designed to spare residents the need to travel to the Ministry of Health to register for the state health insurance scheme.
The office would serve as a KADCHMA branch, facilitating registration, awareness-raising and enrolment, particularly among informal sector operators, he said.
Muhammad assured enrollees that the hospital was prepared to provide adequate medical care and other necessary health services under the scheme.
He urged residents to register and take advantage of the affordable healthcare services.
Hannatu Abubakar-Ladan, KADCHMA’s Head of Marketing and Business Development, said the programme was designed to improve public understanding of the scheme.
She said its objectives included educating participants about the scheme’s benefits, eligibility requirements and enrolment procedures.
The initiative also aimed to mobilise informal sector groups, including traders, artisans, transport operators, market associations, cooperatives and small business owners, she said.
Ladan identified the commissioning of the KADCHMA information and enrolment office as another key objective.
One of the beneficiaries, A’isha Muhammad, said the scheme had enabled her to access several healthcare services, including medical scans and blood pressure checks.
She said the services also covered treatment for malaria and typhoid fever, as well as antenatal care for pregnant women.
Sulaiman Mustapha, KADCHMA’s Head of Administration and Finance, thanked participants and stakeholders for their cooperation.
