The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has introduced a Vulnerable Community Health Insurance Scheme to improve healthcare access for rural populations across Adamawa State, especially the most underserved areas.

The NEDC State Coordinator in Adamawa State, Khalifa Lawan, announced this on Wednesday in Yola, during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting on healthcare challenges in the state’s remote communities.

Mr Lawan said many rural residents struggled to access medical care due to high drug costs, poor transport, and an alarming shortage of trained health workers across villages and hard-to-reach settlements.

He said, “Sometimes, a whole community may have only one dispensary, with no one available to attend to patients. That’s why we designed this community-based scheme targeting vulnerable, uninsured populations.’’

He stated that about 20 per cent of Nigerians were formally employed, meaning the majority, particularly rural dwellers and farmers, were left out of conventional health insurance coverage frameworks.

According to him, the pilot phase will begin in three local government areas (LGA), one from each senatorial district, with three wards and three health facilities selected from each participating LGA.

He said that the initiative aimed to enrol 1,680 vulnerable individuals, including pregnant women, the elderly, and people with pre-existing health conditions, providing access to primary care for the most at-risk groups.

Mr Lawan assured stakeholders that the scheme would be free from political interference, stating that no government officials or wealthy elites would be allowed to influence or manipulate the selection process.

He said the pilot phase would run for six months, after which the commission would assess its impact and consider expanding the scheme to cover more local government areas in Adamawa State.

On infrastructure, Mr Lawan disclosed that NEDC had deployed more than 7,000 solar-powered streetlights across the state to strengthen local security and improve nighttime mobility in various communities.

He noted, “We found that lighting is one of the strongest deterrents to crime. Even though it’s expensive, it’s a priority. Even 100,000 solar lights won’t fully meet the demand.”

He emphasised the need for local communities to take ownership of public infrastructure and urged residents to protect projects like the solar lights and healthcare facilities provided by the commission.

Mr Lawan also called on the media to play a central role in raising awareness about the commission’s programmes and in promoting transparency, inclusiveness, and accountability across all implementation stages.

“No institution can succeed in isolation. That’s why we count on the media to inform, enlighten, and mobilise the public toward sustainable development,” he said.

(NAN)