The Plateau State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (PLASCHEMA) says it has received N327 million from the government as the scheme’s counterpart funding for the vulnerable for 2024.

PLASCHEMA director-general Manasseh Nanfwang stated on Wednesday during a news briefing that the fund was used to carter for the Plateau government’s Equity Health Plan.

Mr Nanfwang said the equity plan was a free healthcare plan funded by the state and federal governments for vulnerable groups such as children under five years of age, pregnant women, the elderly above 65 years, and those living with disabilities and mental illnesses in Plateau.

He further listed other beneficiaries as orphaned and vulnerable children, verified and registered with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, and internally displaced persons.

Mr Nanfwang revealed that due to the prompt payments by the Plateau government, the agency was up to date in terms of payment of its capitation and fee for service.

“We are currently up to date in terms of our payment. In fact, we have paid upfront for February,” he said.

According to Mr Nanfwang, he was handed over N40 million from his predecessor, and the backlog of capitation fees for service had been cleared.

He described PLASCHEMA as the biggest social safety net provided by the state government to eliminate pocket expenditure and to improve the people’s health indices, and so could not be a conduit pipe to syphon government money as was being insinuated in some quarters.

He, therefore, called on the general public, specifically those not classed as vulnerable and who had not enrolled on the scheme, to take advantage of the window of opportunity to subsidise their healthcare financial expenditure. 

(NAN)