Yobe state targets universal health coverage by 2030
By Tada Juthan, Maiduguri
The Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (YSCHMA) has reviewed drugs’ prices and tariffs to boost Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) of residents in the state.
According to the agency, the contributed funds are strictly for service delivery to ensure transparency, accountability, justice, and fairness to all the enrollees of the health scheme.
Reviewing the drugs’ prices and tariffs on Wednesday, in Damaturu, YSCHMA Executive Secretary, Dr. Baba Gana Tijjani, stated, “The transparency in the review of tariffs and prices of drugs is evident in the health agency’s efforts to harmonise capitation.”
He added that the review comprises the free-service tariffs and the prices of drugs to be prescribed to the enrolled residents.
“Today’s collective review in the health sector was to achieve UHC by the year 2030,” declared Tijjani.
Speaking on the enrolled residents for UHC, Tijjani disclosed that the contributory health agency, registered 276,228 residents in September 2023 into the healthcare delivery scheme.
Highlighting the significance of tariff and price reviews, the Executive Secretary noted that the healthcare scheme has access to affordable and qualitative healthcare services for the enrolled residents.
He clarified that “today’s event of review was to validate and agree on the reviewed capitation, free-for-service tariffs, and the drugs’ prices while implementing the healthcare delivery scheme in the state.
“It is also in accordance with the Buni administration’s vision in achieving the universal health coverage by 2030.”
The review panel, which comprises the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Dr. Musa Sarki of the Ministry of Health, the State Coordinator of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the State’s NLC Chairman, the Secretary General of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), and representatives of the House committee on Health, Chief Medical Directors from Federal Medical Centre Nguru and YSUTH, healthcare providers, and other development partners, contributed to the review of the prices and tariffs on drugs.
The review panel stated, “NHIA has increased the capitation by 93%; and implemented a 378% service fee to incentivize healthcare providers to improve healthcare delivery services to the people in the 178 Comprehensive Healthcare Centres.
