An NGO, the Gates Foundation, says it will enrol 32,000 vulnerable persons into the Kaduna State Contributory Health Scheme (KADCHMA) for one year of free healthcare services.

The scheme is expected to draw beneficiaries from across the 23 local government areas of the state.

The director-general of KADCHMA, Abubakar Hassan, disclosed this on Saturday during an enrolment planning meeting of the Health Financing Technical Working Group Committee held in Kaduna.

Mr Hassan commended the foundation for its strong support in providing access to quality and affordable healthcare services to residents of the state, noting that the initiative would significantly contribute to reducing maternal and child mortality rates in the state.

He further stated that KADCHMA remains open to partnerships with groups, organisations, and individuals willing to support the improvement of healthcare service delivery in the state.

The D-G therefore urged other partners to emulate the commitment demonstrated by the Gates Foundation.

In a goodwill message, a consultant with the Gates Foundation, Anthony Shamang, said the foundation had been in existence for more than ten years and remained committed to improving healthcare access for vulnerable populations in the country.

He added that the organisation would continue to partner with the Kaduna State Government to ensure the successful implementation of the programme.

According to him, the beneficiaries will be distributed across the 23 local government areas based on population size and poverty index, using the 2026 population data provided by the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics.

Mr Shamang revealed that out of the total beneficiaries, 60 per cent would be pregnant women, while 40 per cent would be children under five years of age.

He urged organisations to reach out to the needy by enrolling them in the state’s contributory health scheme. 

(NAN)