Pulse.ng : Economic hardship: Petty trader welcomes triplets under Kaduna health contributory scheme, describes initiative as "life saviour"

By Sani Idris

A petty trader in Kaduna, Nazifi Alkassim, who’s wife gave birth to triplets, has commended the State Contributory Health Scheme, describing it as a saviour amidst the current economic hardship.

Alkassim, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at his residence on Thursday in Kaduna, said if he had not registered under the scheme, he would have been financially crippled by the medical expenses attached to pregnancy from inception to delivery.

Alkassim, who said he was reluctant in enrolling into the scheme, said he did so a few months before his wife got pregnant without expecting any positive difference in quality health care delivery and spending.

“When I enrolled into the scheme reluctantly, I never expected it would add any value or make me spend less in terms of medical care for myself and family.

“Luckily for me, a few months after enrollment, my wife got pregnant. We decided to access antenatal care at a private hospital under the contributory health scheme.

”When the hospital realised my wife was carrying triplets, they referred us to Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, a public hospital with better facilities under the same scheme.

“To my surprise, the quality and prompt health care my wife received under the scheme from pregnancy to birth was awesome. I did not spend a dime up till her delivery,”Alkassim said.

Speaking further, he said, the economic hardship had taken a toll on his business, adding that the contributory health scheme was a life –saver amidst the current economic realities.

“Medical bills alone are enough to drain a person without a strong capital in business.

”I must thank the Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA) for making me realise how reliable and encouraging their scheme is,”he said.

Also, Alkassim’s wife, Maimuna Salis, thanked God for His blessings of triplets upon her life and KADCHMA for the practical demonstration of what they stood for.

She, however, said it was not easy taking care of a child, especially three at once.

“We thank God for the ease he brought to us, courtesy of our enrollment in KADCHMA.

”I was not asked for a dime whenever I went to access health services from my pregnancy to delivery,”Salis said.

The two-week old triplets, two boys and a girl, were named Muhammad, Ahmad and Fatima.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that KADCHMA, had on Wednesday begun the enrollment of 16,000 pensioners into the contributory health scheme at an annual premium of N10,600.

Its Director-General, Hassan Abubakar, said that pensioners, other associations and bodies, including the informal sector, were not exception to the state government’s commitment to providing affordable and quality health care services in the state.

Doing so, he said, was in line with the state government’s target of reaching universal health care coverage by 2030.

With the health insurance, enrollees would have access to health care services from any public or private health facility across the state without having to spend from their pockets.(NAN)