The Gombe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (GoHealth) has reeled out plans to provide health insurance coverage for Tsangaya and Almajiri children.
This was made known by the Agency’s Team Lead, Dr. Abubakar Musa during a courtesy visit by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tsangaya and Almajiri Education, Sayyada Amina Sheikh Dahiru.
In his address the Team Lead said “This visit is very timely as the Agency is about to embark on the Cohort-4 enrollment and revalidation of beneficiaries of our equity programme for the poor and vulnerable.”
“There are three entry points for the GoHealth equity programme, that is, the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), where we currently have over 50,000 beneficiaries. There is also the state equity programme, where we have been able to enroll no fewer than 1,000 persons.
“Additionally we also have the donor funded equity programme where individuals and organisations can come in to sponsor beneficiaries. Currently we are in partnership with the UNICEF Zero dose programme where we have been able to enroll a total of 10,000 beneficiaries that include children under the age of 5 and their caregivers”
Dr. Abubakar noted that the Almajiri pupils can benefit immensely in the agency’s equity programme for the poor and vulnerable.
He however advised that the Agency may not be able to cater for the total population of Almajiri in the state, but will begin with pupils of the Almajiri model schools built by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya in all 11 local government areas of the state, while working towards seeking measures to expand the nature of the coverage.
In her response, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tsangaya and Almajiri Education, Sayyada Amina Shiekh Dahiru Bauchi, promised to take seriously the suggestions by the Team Lead, as this will be the first of it’s kind in the country and will be a model for other states going forward.
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya had begun reformations to better the life of the Almajiri child which included building at least one Almajiri model school in each of the 11 local government areas of the state, and partnering with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), to provide special ID Cards for the Almajiri children.
Dairus D Samson
PRO GoHealth Gombe State
