The Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA) has opened a new information and enrolment centre in Kawo as part of efforts to expand health insurance coverage among traders, artisans and other informal sector workers.
The initiative was launched during a health insurance awareness campaign organised on Wednesday in collaboration with Manaal Specialist Hospital, Kawo, Kaduna.
The campaign was designed to educate informal sector operators about the benefits of the state health insurance scheme and encourage more residents to register for affordable healthcare services.
Speaking at the event, KADCHMA’s Head of Planning, Research and Statistics, Saidu Bala, said the outreach had already attracted new participants, with more than 10 people making payments and enrolling immediately after the sensitisation programme.
Bala also disclosed that a philanthropist from the Kawo community had sponsored 50 vulnerable residents to receive free medical services for one year.
Health insurance costs ₦10,650 annually
Bala explained that the state scheme covers four categories of beneficiaries: formal sector employees, informal sector operators, vulnerable residents and other eligible participants.
He said the vulnerable category was designed for people who cannot afford to pay for their healthcare.
According to him, eligible enrollees can access healthcare services for one year with an annual contribution of ₦10,650.
He noted that the amount is heavily subsidised through government support to make healthcare more affordable and protect households from excessive medical expenses.
Bala described health insurance as an important tool for achieving Universal Health Coverage and reducing the financial burden of medical treatment.
He urged traders, artisans and other informal sector operators to take advantage of the scheme rather than wait until they or their family members require medical attention.
New centre to simplify registration
The Chief Medical Director of Manaal Specialist Hospital, Ishaq Muhammad, said the newly commissioned office would make KADCHMA services more accessible to residents.
He explained that the centre would reduce the inconvenience of travelling to the Ministry of Health to register for the state health insurance programme.
According to him, the facility will operate as a KADCHMA branch, providing information, registration and enrolment services, with particular attention to people working in the informal economy.
Muhammad assured residents that Manaal Specialist Hospital was prepared to provide appropriate medical care and the necessary health services to beneficiaries enrolled through the scheme.
He encouraged residents to use the new facility to complete their registration and gain access to affordable healthcare.
KADCHMA targets traders, transport operators, cooperatives
The authority’s Head of Marketing and Business Development, Hannatu Abubakar-Ladan, said the campaign was intended to improve public understanding of the scheme, including its benefits, eligibility conditions and registration process.
She added that KADCHMA was seeking to mobilise different informal sector groups, including traders, artisans, transport operators, market associations, cooperatives and small business owners.
The authority’s expanded outreach is aimed at bringing more people outside the formal employment system into the state’s health insurance programme and improving access to healthcare across Kaduna State.
