The Borno State Contributory Health Care Management Agency (BOSCHMA) has engaged the National Union of Borno State Students (NUBOSS), tertiary institution students, and heads of clinics on the proposed Tertiary Students Contributory Health Programme.
The engagement followed a recent advocacy visit by BOSCHMA to the Borno State Ministry of Education to raise awareness about the importance and benefits of the Contributory Health Programme.
The meeting brought together Engr. Lawan Wakilbe, Borno State Commissioner of Education; the President of NUBOSS; representatives of Ramat Polytechnic, Kashim Ibrahim University, the School of Nursing Sciences, the School of Health Technology, and College Waka; and heads of clinics from the participating institutions.
Speaking at the event, Wakilbe urged the students to pay close attention to the presentations and take advantage of the opportunity to understand how the proposed programme would benefit them.
Dr. Saleh Abba Kaza, Executive Secretary of BOSCHMA, said the Contributory Health Programme would be particularly important for students because it could reduce the financial burden of medical expenses and ensure access to healthcare when needed.
Kaza explained that the proposed Tertiary Students Contributory Health Programme is designed to provide students with access to quality and affordable healthcare through a structured contributory arrangement.
Dr. Inna Alimi, Director of Standards and Quality Assurance at BOSCHMA, explained the modalities of the proposed programme, including a plan to allocate a small percentage of students’ registration fees toward their healthcare coverage.
Alimi said enrolled students would be able to access covered healthcare services under the programme in accordance with the approved benefit package.
Danjuma Ezekiel, Zonal Coordinator of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), urged students to embrace the Contributory Health Programme as a practical way to ensure access to affordable and quality healthcare.
Ezekiel also commended the Borno State Government, led by Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, for its continued support for contributory healthcare initiatives in the state.
During an interactive session, students and other participants sought clarification on whether chronic conditions such as asthma, kidney disease, and diabetes would be covered under the programme.
The NLC Chairman and a member of the BOSCHMA Board assured participants that services for covered conditions would be provided in line with the approved benefit package.
He also said BOSCHMA regularly monitors healthcare facilities to ensure quality service delivery and reduce the risk of shortages of essential medicines.
He assured the students that enrolled beneficiaries would receive covered healthcare services without additional out-of-pocket payments at the point of care, subject to the provisions of the Contributory Health Programme.
As part of the engagement, participants were divided into two groups and taken on practical visits to BOSCHMA clinics at Umaru Shehu Ultra-Modern Hospital and State Specialist Hospital.
During the visits, participants learned how the clinics operate and observed firsthand how enrolled beneficiaries access healthcare services under the Contributory Health Programme.
The facility visits also gave students and institutional representatives a better understanding of BOSCHMA’s systems for ensuring quality healthcare and the availability of essential medicines.
The participants later visited the Borno State Drugs and Medical Supplies Management Agency (BODMA) to observe the storage, management, and distribution of medicines provided under the Formal Sector Contributory Health Programme.
Pharm. Habu, Acting Executive Secretary of BODMA, briefed the participants on the processes involved in receiving, storing, and distributing medicines supplied through BOSCHMA to designated healthcare facilities.
Habu explained that the distribution system is designed to ensure the availability of essential medicines for enrolled beneficiaries and support uninterrupted healthcare delivery.
The visit provided participants with practical insight into the systems used to ensure that medicines procured under the programme reach designated healthcare facilities and are made available to beneficiaries.
The BOSCHMA team also recognized Ramat Polytechnic for meeting the required standards during the engagement.
The engagement provided an opportunity for BOSCHMA, the Ministry of Education, NUBOSS, students, health officials, and institutional clinic representatives to discuss the proposed programme and its potential benefits.
BOSCHMA reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare for tertiary students and other residents of Borno State through the Contributory Health Programme.