Jigawa Govt Extends Insurance Coverage To Political Office Holders

By Mohammed Abubakar Dutse

The Jigawa state government has approved the inclusion of all political office holders into the Jigawa State Contributory Health Management Agency (JICHMA) scheme.

The development was contained in a statement by the state Commissioner of information, Sagir Ahmed Musa after the State Executive Council (SEC) on Wednesday in Dutse.

According to him, “This development is aimed at enhancing universal health coverage in the state and ensuring that all residents, regardless of their socioeconomic status, have access to quality and affordable healthcare services.”

JICHMA scheme was established in 2019 with the aims to provide sustainable social security interventions in the state, charged with the responsibilities of among others, reducing out-of-pocket expenditure among Jigawa State residents through adequate and sustainable funding.

Also the commissioner said the council approved a loan request of N3.36 billion from the Jigawa State Pilgrims Board to enable the board reserve and safeguard 400 seats for intending pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj operations.

“The council was impressed with the timely refund of a N2.2 billion loan granted to the pilgrims board in 2024. This development facilitated the approval of the new loan request,” he explained.

Also the commissioner that the Council had ratified the executive approval granted by the governor for the release of N250 million as a matching fund for the purchase of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) between the Jigawa State Government and UNICEF.

The statement therefore noted that “this development is part of the state government’s efforts to combat malnutrition among children in the state. The program is expected to have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of children in Jigawa State.”

Musa revealed that, the decisions reached at the council meeting demonstrate the state government’s commitment to good governance and the improvement of the lives of citizens in Jigawa State.

Accordingly the Council’s outcome maintained that “the approval of the loan request, the expansion of the health insurance scheme, and the matching fund for the malnutrition program are all expected to have a positive impact on the state.”