The Borno Head of Service, Bar. Mallam Fannami, has urged Governor Babagana Zulum on the need to approve the commencement of 3.5 per cent deduction from workers basic salaries for the Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (BOSCHMA).
Fannami made the call on Tuesday in Maiduguri at a town hall meeting of stakeholders organized by BOSCHMA on financing the insurance scheme.
Fannami who lauded the agency for successes recorded so far in its four years of existence, said necessary steps needed to be taken to ensure quality and accessible healthcare is delivered to all in Borno.
“Let me call on all of us stakeholders gathered here to join hands in supporting the Agency in the implementation of its mandate.
“On my part as the head of service I wish to assure you that my office will always collaborate with the agency in all appropriate and possible manners.
“Immediately after this event in collaboration with the organized labour and in compliance with the law establishing the agency going to seek for the necessary approval from his Excellency to commence the premium deduction of 3.5 per cent of the basic salaries of all state civil servants.
“I am also going to liaise with the Secretary to the State Government to discuss how to commence the premium deductions from the salaries of political office holders as appropriate, ” Fannami added.
In his remarks, the Borno Commissioner for Health, Prof. Baba Malam-Gana, who reiterated the commitment of the state Government to health, pointed out that over 15 per cent of the state 2024 budget was allocated to health inline with “Abuja declaration on funding healthcare”.
He urged the citizens of Borno to continue to enroll in the insurance scheme, and urged philanthropists to support vulnerable ones around them to also enroll as part of ways in strengthening healthcare financing for post-insurgency recovery.
In his paper “Achieving Universal Health Coverage through Improved Healthcare Financing “, the Guest Speaker, Dr Shehu Sule also urged for philanthropic support to the scheme.
Sule also advocated for government increase funding to the scheme and the need for politicians to also support members of thier constituencies to enroll.
The Chairman of the Borno Network of Civil Society Organizations, Mr Bulama Abiso, also urged politicians, corporate organizations and health partners in the state to also dedicate some percentage of their funds to support the scheme.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of BOSCHMA, Dr Saleh Abba, said no fewer than 115,628 vulnerable persons had been registered under the scheme within the past four years.
Abba said that about 183 Primary Healthcare (PHCs) facilities were accredited across the state by BOSCHMA in collaboration with National Health Insurance Agency (NHIA) to provide healthcare services to the beneficiaries while general hospitals serve as referral centres.
Abba who lauded the state Government for it sustain support to the scheme, said the agency has embark on full digitisation of its operations for effective service delivery.
