By MUHAMMAD NUR TIJANI

The Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA), in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), will enrol one million vulnerable residents under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund.

The initiative aims to expand access to essential healthcare services and strengthen financial risk protection for indigent and underserved populations across Kano State.

The decision was reached on Monday in Kano during a meeting of senior technical officials and stakeholders reviewing operational frameworks, beneficiary targeting, data harmonisation and implementation plans.

The Executive Secretary of KSCHMA, Dr Rahila Muktar, described the initiative as a major step toward achieving Universal Health Coverage in the state.

Muktar said enrolling one million vulnerable residents marked a transformative milestone towards universal health coverage.

“We are committed to ensuring transparency, accountability and data integrity throughout the process,” she said.

She added that the exercise aligns with the present administration’s healthcare reform agenda and would significantly reduce out-of-pocket health expenditure among vulnerable groups.

Earlier, the NHIA State Coordinator, Adamu Abdullahi, said the authority was ready to provide regulatory guidance and technical support to ensure compliance with national standards.

“Sustained collaboration between federal and state institutions is critical to strengthening healthcare financing reforms and achieving measurable health outcomes,” he said.

He noted that the partnership would enhance coordination and improve service delivery at the primary healthcare level.

Abdullahi said the agencies agreed to finalise beneficiary validation using the National Social Register and deploy harmonised digital enrolment tools.

He added that refresher training would be conducted for field registration officers, alongside a joint monitoring framework and statewide sensitisation campaign to boost participation. (NAN)