By PHILIP YATAI

Mr. Mustapha Jumare, Citizens Co-chair, Kaduna Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM), says a total of 79,329 vulnerable groups may be denied access to basic healthcare services in healthcare facilities in Kaduna State.

Jumare told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Kaduna that the development followed the failure of the state government to remit the one per cent Consolidated Revenue amounting to N840 million provided in the state budget.

“The money was to be remitted to Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA) monthly, to cover the basic healthcare needs of the poor and vulnerable in the state,” he explained.

NAN reports that Jumare spoke on the sideline of a meeting organised by the Kaduna Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM), in collaboration with Ward Development Committee and KADCHMA.

It was supported by the United Kingdom-Funder governance programme, Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL), through its Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Jumare said that the allocation of the fund in the state budget was laudable, but lamented that the state government was yet to remit the fund to KADCHMA from January to date.

The co-chair described the development as “counterproductive” to the objective of establishing the health scheme which was to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for health services among the poor and vulnerable population.

“We commended the government for providing the one per cent consolidated revenue in its budget to cover the healthcare services of the poor and vulnerable in the state.

“However, we have a total of 2.6 million poor and vulnerable individuals from 680,888 households captured in the State Social Register, but only 79,329 vulnerable people were enrolled in the health scheme.

“The health scheme is mainly to meet the basic health needs of the poor at affordable cost without exposing the population to financial risks.

“If we have failed on this, then we have failed as a government,” he said.

He called on the state government to ensure timely remittance of the allocated funds even if it would be on quarterly basis.

Also speaking, Alhaji Balarabe Idris-Jaji, Chairman, Kaduna State chapter of the Ward Development Committees, described the development as “very unfortunate”.

According to him, the non-remittance of the funds is affecting the quality of service delivery and discouraging other people from registering with the scheme.

He also called on the government to ensure regular remittance of the fund to ensure sustainability of the scheme.

“This will also enable health facilities to provide quality basic health services to the people, particularly the poor and vulnerable, in line with the goals of Universal Health Coverage,” he said.

On his part, Dr. Joseph Jokshan, Desk Officer, Basic Health Care Provision Fund, Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board, said that the board had received a memo from KADCHMA over the non-remittance of the fund.

Jokshan told NAN that KADCHMA informed the board in the memo of its decision to stop payment to health facilities providing health services to the 79,329 vulnerable people, due to the non-remittance of the fund.

He explained that the non-remittance of the fund was due to competing demands, adding, however, that the government was doing all that it could, to ensure timely release of the fund.

He said that the board had directed KADCHMA to continue to provide the services in line with the government goals and objectives clearly stated in the policy and the law that established the authority.

“It is the policy of the state government to cater for the healthcare needs of the vulnerable and earmark one percent of the state consociated revenue for that purpose.

“The fact that the fund is yet to be released to KADCHMA this year simply points to the fact that there are other competing needs.

“It is an issue of policy; I am sure the money will be released eventually,” he said. (NAN)

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