By: Yusuf Zubairu
Zamfara State Government has enrolled about 200,000 residents across various categories into the state’s Contributory Healthcare Scheme, including beneficiaries supported through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and partners such as UNICEF.
The Acting Executive Secretary of the Zamfara State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (ZAMCHIMA), Dr. Iliyasu Saleh Ahmad, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Gusau.
Dr. Ahmad said the agency is committed to further expand enrollment into the informal and informal sector to ensure wider coverage across the state.
According to him, ZAMCHIMA’s core mandate is to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare spending, prevent catastrophic health expenditures, and ensure that residents have access services at affordable rates as key elements in achieving Universal Health Coverage in Zamfara State.
Dr Iliyasu Saleh Ahmad noted that, one of the initial challenges faced by the agency was low public awareness of its operations, stressing that, to address the challenge, ZAMCHIMA embarked on extensive sensitisation campaigns across all local government areas, working closely with traditional institutions to reach grassroots communities.
“With the support of the state government and the Honourable Commissioner, we have significantly increased enrollment. Awareness has improved, confidence has grown, and more people are now accessing healthcare through the scheme,” Dr. Ahmad said.
On eligibility, he explained that, the law establishing the agency makes health insurance mandatory for all residents of Zamfara State.
While the poor and vulnerable are enrolled through a verified social register, individuals in the informal sector such as traders, artisans and transport operators are encouraged to enroll by paying an annual premium of twelve thousand naira which provides healthcare coverage for one year.
Dr. Ahmad also appealed to philanthropists and wealthy individuals in the state to sponsor vulnerable persons into the scheme, describing health insurance enrollment as one of the most impactful forms of social support.
According to him, helping people to secure healthcare coverage reduces hardship and restores dignity and assured sponsors that all contributions will be transparently and judiciously managed.
Dr Iliyasu Ahmad further called on residents to support the administration of Dauda Lawal and to maintain confidence in ZAMCHIMA, stressing the agency’s commitment to accountability, continuous data review, and improved service delivery.
