The Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (BOSCHMA) has announced the enrollment of 115,628 vulnerable individuals into its free healthcare programme, a commendable initiative that commenced in 2020.
Dr. Saleh Abba, the Executive Secretary of the Agency, shared this significant development on Monday in Maiduguri, marking the commencement of the inaugural Healthcare Financing Week. This event aims to shed light on the several activities undertaken by BOSCHMA for the welfare of the public.
Dr. Abba highlighted that a total of 183 Primary Healthcare (PHCs) facilities received accreditation across the state through the collaborative efforts of BOSCHMA and the National Health Insurance Agency (NHIA). These facilities are now dedicated to providing essential healthcare services to the enrolled beneficiaries.
All secondary facilities in the state were accredited to serve as referral centres for the PHCs. The total enrollment across the state now stands at 115,628 done in 162 PHCs across 25 LGAs,” Dr. Abba affirmed.
Financially, an impressive sum of N529.9 million has been disbursed as capitation to the 162 PHCs, coupled with additional support to 133 of these facilities through the provision of state-of-the-art ICT facilities.
Dr. Abba underscored the agency’s commitment to organisational fortification, outlining crucial documents crafted to guide its operations. These include OGBMPHS/Drugs/Consumables/Lab guidelines, a 10-year strategic plan, a job description manual, and a quality assurance/M&E framework.
In addressing the enrollment of state and local government civil servants, Dr. Abba disclosed ongoing discussions with organised labour, focusing on resolving concerns to facilitate the enrollment of an additional 100,000 beneficiaries.
Looking ahead to 2024, Dr. Abba expressed optimism regarding the approval of N211 million as part of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund counterpart funding. This anticipated approval is poised to significantly augment the coverage of vulnerable persons within the enrollment programme.
Additionally, the agency has ambitious plans to establish two zonal offices in Biu town for Southern Borno and Monguno town for Northern Borno, strategically enhancing accessibility and service delivery for the benefit of the people.