The Kebbi State Government has enrolled no fewer than 144,000 residents into the state’s health insurance scheme under the Kebbi State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KECHEMA) within the year under review.
Chairman of the agency’s governing board, Comrade Abubakar Gado Kamba, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Birnin Kebbi. He explained that KECHEMA’s core mandate is to provide mandatory health insurance coverage for both public and private sector workers, in collaboration with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), which represent the workforce. Private individuals, he added, are also encouraged to register directly with the agency.
Kamba noted that since the establishment of KECHEMA, about four million out of Kebbi’s estimated six million residents — mostly the poor and vulnerable — have been enrolled and are currently benefiting from the scheme.
“All public and primary healthcare centres in the state now have their pharmacies fully stocked with essential drugs,” Kamba said. “Enrollees also enjoy subsidised costs for both minor and major surgeries in designated health facilities across Kebbi State.”
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr. Jaafar Augie Muhammed, commended the administration of Governor Nasir Idris and development partners such as UNICEF and USAID’s State2State Programme for their support.
He revealed that UNICEF recently paid health insurance premiums for 10,000 vulnerable women and children in the state, ensuring access to essential medical care.
“We are grateful to the Kebbi State Government, UNICEF, and USAID for their immense contributions,” Dr. Augie said. “Our goal is to ensure that no child—whether in rural or urban areas—is left out of the healthcare insurance scheme.”
Dr. Augie also stated that beyond providing insurance coverage, the agency occasionally offers financial assistance to citizens facing critical health challenges that exceed their means.
Meanwhile, the Kebbi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), led by Muhammad Bello, has urged the agency to extend its operations to remote communities to ensure broader healthcare access across the state.
“Expanding healthcare insurance coverage to the remotest villages and hamlets is vital for the well-being of our people,” Bello said.
