Governor Uba Sani took a giant step towards expanding access to quality healthcare with the enrolment of over 15,000 vulnerable persons onto the Kaduna State Health Insurance Scheme.

Speaking during the distribution of ID cards to pregnant women and children under the age of five, the governor said that his administration holds “the conviction that no citizen should be left behind, no community should be overlooked, and no life should be lost simply because they cannot afford the needed care.”

Represented by the deputy governor, Hadiza Balarabe, the governor reiterated that since he assumed office, his mission has been to ‘’bring healthcare closer, make healthcare cheaper, and ensure healthcare is better.’’

‘’We have revitalised primary health centres and general hospitals; we have equipped them, staffed them, and powered them, because a healthy people make a stronger Kaduna, a stronger Kaduna makes a stronger Nigeria, and a stronger Nigeria serves all of us,’’ he added.

The governor reminded that his administration’s investments in the health sector ‘’are translating to women who can now deliver safely, children who can now grow healthy, and families who can now live without the fear of medical bills pushing them into poverty.’’

According to him, this progress is powered by partnerships: government, development partners, and communities working side by side, shoulder to shoulder, and heart to heart.

The governor thanked donor agencies and development partners like UNICEF and the Gates Foundation but singled out the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) for special commendation.

He commended CHAI for the ‘’direct enrolment of over 20,000 vulnerable persons, mostly women, into this scheme is a powerful proof of what partnerships can produce.’’

The governor also thanked traditional rulers for using their influence to mobilise people for health, adding that philanthropic individuals and organisations ‘’are planting seeds of service whose harvest will be measured in healthier generations.’’

According to him, the journey to total healthcare coverage is far from being over because over 70% of healthcare spending in Nigeria is still out-of-pocket, which is a heavy financial burden on the poor.

Mr Sani argued that “health insurance is the bridge from vulnerability to security, from exclusion to inclusion, from despair to dignity.”

In her welcome address, the commissioner of health, Umma Ahmad, said that the event is a bold statement “to ensure that no woman or child in Kaduna State is denied access to quality healthcare due to financial barriers.”

She noted that the enrolment was made possible through the collaboration between the Kaduna State government and CHAI, “whose support has been instrumental in enrolling 10,916 beneficiaries”.

“Beyond the numbers, the impact of today’s flag-off will be felt in the improved access to life-saving maternal, newborn, and child health services across all primary healthcare facilities. It is a step towards reducing maternal and child mortality rates, improving health outcomes, and building a healthier, more resilient Kaduna State,’’ she added.