Gov. Zulum Appoints Chairman, 12-member Borno Healthcare Contributory Scheme

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has appointed Malam Sani Maidugu as Chairman of the newly established Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency, and Dr Abba Saleh as the Executive Secretary.

Malam Isa Umar Gusau, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Communications and Public Relations Strategy stated this in a statement issued Friday in Maiduguri.

The statement added that 11 others were appointed as members to represent various government agencies and organisations in the agency.

Those appointed include; the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS); Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Medical Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

Also appointed as members in the agency are: the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigerian Employer Consultative Association (NECA) and the Joint Public Service Negotiation Council, with others representing ministries of health, justice, budget and planning and office of the Head of Service (HOS).

The statement further stated that the governor directed the appointees to work hard towards upholding the objectives of the agency to check hike in medical bills, protect families and ensure delivery of quality healthcare services.

It will be recalled that the governor had assented to the Borno State Contributory Healthcare Scheme Law in 2019 to enable the state to key into the national and global programme, aimed at enhancing Universal Health Coverage.

He explained that the scheme was aimed at guaranteeing access to quality and affordable medical services for people of the state.

The law also mandated employees and employers in public and private sectors to fund the scheme through monthly contributions.

“This is to enable Health Management Organisations (HMOs) to access the fund to stimulate provision of affordable and quality healthcare services to workers and their families,’’ the statement said.