The Borno State Government, through the Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency, has officially launched the enrolment of over 3,000 Environmental Vanguards serving under the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency into the state’s contributory healthcare scheme under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
The flag-off ceremony took place on Monday, 11 May 2026, at the headquarters of BOSEPA in Maiduguri, with the Executive Secretary of the healthcare management agency, Dr. Abba Saleh, alongside the General Manager of BOSEPA, Abubakar Suleiman, and directors from both agencies in attendance.
Under the scheme, the environmental workers will access free primary healthcare services,
while cases requiring advanced medical attention will be referred to secondary healthcare facilities at no cost to the beneficiaries.
Speaking during the event, Dr. Abba Saleh Kaza said the initiative forms part of Governor Zulum’s commitment to expanding access to
healthcare services for vulnerable groups across the state through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund.
He disclosed that the agency has so far reached over 200,000 vulnerable persons across the 27 local government areas of the state under the scheme.
According to him, the decision to enrol the environmental vanguards was informed by the nature of their work, which exposes them to harsh weather conditions and several environmental health hazards while carrying out sanitation duties across the state.
“These workers spend long hours under intense sunlight and are exposed to numerous environmental and health risks daily. The governor deemed it necessary to support them with accessible healthcare services,” he said.
Dr. Abba Saleh further explained that the programme would also cover members of the beneficiaries’ immediate families, including elderly parents aged 65 years and above, spouses, and children.
To ensure a seamless registration process, the
agency deployed about 70 enumerators to conduct the enrolment exercise, with each registration expected to take only a few minutes. He expressed optimism that the exercise would be completed within the day, with possible extension to the following day if necessary.
He added that all beneficiaries would receive their healthcare access cards by next week, enabling them to access medical services at healthcare facilities nearest to their communities.
The Executive Secretary also noted that because National Identification Numbers (NIN) are required for enrolment, the agency had provided free NIN registration services for beneficiaries and their family members who were yet to obtain one.
In his remarks, Abubakar Suleiman expressed appreciation to Governor Zulum for the intervention, describing it as a morale booster for the environmental vanguards.
“We cannot thank the governor enough for this thoughtful initiative. It will go a long way in supporting the welfare and wellbeing of our environmental workers,” he stated.
Some beneficiaries who spoke at the event also commended the governor for the gesture, noting that the programme would significantly ease their healthcare challenges and improve their living conditions.