Mustapha Jumare, citizens co-chair, Kaduna Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM), says at least 79,329 vulnerable groups may be denied access to basic services in the state’s healthcare facilities.

Mr Jumare told journalists in Kaduna that the development followed the state government’s failure to remit the one per cent consolidated revenue amounting to N840 million in the state’s budget.

“The money was to be remitted to Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA) monthly to cover the basic healthcare needs of the poor and vulnerable in the state,” he explained.

Mr Jumare described the development as “counterproductive” to establishing the health scheme, which was to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for health services among the poor and vulnerable population.

“We have a total of 2.6 million poor and vulnerable individuals from 680,888 households captured in the state social register, but only 79,329 vulnerable people were enrolled in the health scheme.

“The health scheme is mainly to meet the basic health needs of the poor at affordable cost without exposing the population to financial risks. If we have failed on this, then we have failed as a government,” he said.

He called on the state government to ensure timely remittance of the allocated funds even if it would be every quarter.

Also speaking, Balarabe Idris-Jaji, the chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the Ward Development Committees, described the development as “very unfortunate”.

He also called on the government to ensure regular remittance of the fund to ensure the scheme’s sustainability.

On his part, Joseph Jokshan, desk officer, Basic Health Care Provision Fund, Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board, said the board had received a memo from KADCHMA over the non-remittance of the fund.

Mr Jokshan said KADCHMA informed the board in the memo of its decision to stop payment to health facilities providing health services to the 79,329 vulnerable people due to the non-remittance of the fund.

He explained that the non-remittance of the fund was due to competing demands, adding, however, that the government was doing all that it could to ensure the timely release of the fund.

He said that the board had directed KADCHMA to continue providing services in line with the government goals and objectives clearly stated in the policy and the law that established the authority.

(NAN)