….. As Nasarawa Govt vows to support underprivileged
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has said efforts are on top gear to initiate a programme that will fund the health financing of the vulnerable segments of the state.
Sule said only with a healthy population will the economy of the state thrive, especially in areas like agriculture and industrialisation.
He made this known at the flag-off ceremony for the enrolment of 750 vulnerable individuals into the state health insurance by the Maikaya Development Foundation in Lafia today.
He added that the state’s health indicators had improved with a rising number of healthy people in the state, pledging the government’s efforts to ensure universal health coverage.
Represented by the Commissioner of Health, Gaza Gwamna, acknowledged that no investment in the health sector is a waste, stressing that with health financing, citizens’ confidence will increase for better healthcare service delivery.
In his address, the Chairman/CEO of Maikaya Development Foundation, Muhammed Musa Maikaya, said it is a first-of-its-kind initiative in the state, explaining that it is aimed at catering for the health and well-being of the underprivileged community in the state.
Maikaya further explained that the enrollees were selected randomly across all local government areas in synergy with stakeholders for even distribution and participation.
He disputed the speculation of having political inclination in the programme, adding that there is no truth in it.
He added that the humanitarian outfit has been supporting vulnerable individuals for almost a decade, promising to ensure sustainability.
Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Health Insurance Agency, Yahaya Ubam, encouraged citizens to enrol in the state health insurance scheme, noting that it is accessible, affordable, and efficient in rendering basic healthcare services for members of the formal and informal sectors.
He called on politicians and philanthropists to join the trail to cater for the health needs of the underprivileged.
Delivering goodwill messages, the State Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Safiyanu Andaha, the Member representing Ugya/Umaisha at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Sa’ad, and the Senior Special Assistant on Women Affairs, Elsie Monde, lauded the Maikaya Development Foundation’s “charitable gesture in putting smiles on the faces of the downtrodden.”.
Some beneficiaries of the programme, Amina Ali and Ewongulu Martha, appreciated the Foundation’s commitment to improving their well-being.
