Borno Govt putting final touches on 3.5% deductions for health insurance scheme

The Borno Government is putting final touches on modalities for the start of premium deduction of 3.5 per cent from workers’ salaries for the Borno State Contributory Healthcare Agency (BOSCHMA).

Our correspondent reports that the BOSCHMA law was assented to by Gov. Babagana Zulum on Aug. 15, 2019 to implement the Borno State Contributory Health Care Scheme.

The Borno Head of Service, Alhaji Mallam Fannami, made this in Maiduguri at a town hall for stakeholders by BOSCHMA on financing the insurance scheme.

“Let me call on all stakeholders gathered here to join hands in supporting the agency in the implementation of its mandate.

“On my part as the head of service I wish to assure you that my office will always collaborate with the agency in all appropriate and possible manners.

“We will be seeking the necessary approval from Gov. Zulum with the participation of the organised labour to begin the premium deductions of 3.5 per cent of the basic salaries of all state civil servants.

“I am also going to liaise with the Secretary to the State Government to discuss other modalities to begin deductions from the salaries of political office holders as appropriate, ” Fannami added.

He llauded the agency for the successes recorded so far in its four years of existence.

The head of service said that necessary steps are being taken to ensure quality and accessible healthcare is delivered to all in Borno.

In his remarks, the Borno Commissioner for Health, Prof. Baba Malam-Gana said over 15 per cent of the state 2024 budget was allocated to health inline with “the Abuja declaration on funding healthcare”.

He urged the citizens of Borno to continue to enrol in the insurance scheme, and urged philanthropists to support the vulnerable ones in the enrolment.

In his paper “Achieving Universal Health Coverage through Improved Healthcare Financing “, the Guest Speaker, Dr Shehu Sule, a Medical Doctor sought the support of well meaning Nigerians for the scheme to succeed.

Sule also urged government to increase funding of the scheme.

In his contribution, the Chairman of the Borno Network of Civil Society Organisations, Mr Bulama Abiso urged politicians, corporate organisations and health partners in the state to also dedicate some percentage of their funds to support the scheme.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of BOSCHMA, Dr Saleh Abba, said no fewer than 115,628 vulnerable persons had been registered under the scheme within the past four years.

Abba said that about 183 Primary Healthcare (PHCs) facilities were accredited across the state by BOSCHMA in collaboration with National Health Insurance Agency (NHIA) to provide healthcare services to the beneficiaries while general hospitals serve as referral centres.

Abba who lauded the state government for its sustained support to the scheme, said the agency has embarked on full digitisation of its operations for effective service delivery.