Yobe expands health insurance, specialist hospitals to improve access

The Yobe State Government has disclosed that it’s ongoing reforms in the health sector under the administration of Governor Mai Mala Buni have significantly expanded access to quality and affordable healthcare.

The state maintained that this was achieved through the state’s health insurance programme, upgraded health facilities and sustained investments in medical infrastructure and personnel.

The Acting Secretary to the State Government, Dr Mohammed Goje, disclosed this during an exclusive interview with Arewa PidomNigeria.

Goje spoke while highlighting the administration’s achievements in the health sector, describing healthcare as one of the government’s major priorities since assuming office in 2019.

According to him, the administration recognised that improving healthcare delivery required more than constructing hospitals, stressing that access, affordability and the availability of qualified personnel were equally important in achieving better health outcomes.

The SSG explained that the government had implemented a combination of institutional reforms, infrastructure development and healthcare financing initiatives aimed at ensuring residents across the state receive quality medical services without undue financial burden.

He identified the establishment of the Yobe State Healthcare Management Agency as one of the administration’s landmark achievements, noting that the agency had transformed the delivery and financing of healthcare services across the state.

“The establishment of the State Healthcare Management Agency has transformed healthcare delivery. Through the state’s health insurance programme, residents can access comprehensive healthcare services at an affordable cost,” Goje said.

According to him, the health insurance programme has improved access to healthcare by reducing the financial barriers that previously prevented many residents from seeking timely medical attention.

He disclosed that the government had also paid health insurance premiums for thousands of vulnerable residents, including those who might otherwise have been unable to afford healthcare services.

“More importantly, the government has paid the premiums for thousands of vulnerable citizens, enabling them to access healthcare without financial hardship,” he stressed.

Goje further disclosed that the intervention had expanded healthcare coverage among low-income households while ensuring that vulnerable groups receive essential medical care without being exposed to catastrophic health expenditures.

He explained that beneficiaries enrolled under the scheme could conveniently obtain treatment at accredited health facilities by presenting their health insurance identification cards.

“Once enrolled, beneficiaries simply present their health insurance cards at participating hospitals and receive treatment. Services range from routine consultations to major surgical procedures.”

According to him, the programme covers a broad range of healthcare services, enabling residents to receive preventive, curative and emergency medical care under the insurance scheme.

Goje added that patients were only expected to purchase medicines whenever prescribed drugs were temporarily unavailable at participating health facilities.

The SSG pointed out that the administration had also invested heavily in upgrading health facilities across the state to improve access to specialised medical services.

He disclosed that the six General Hospitals had been upgraded to Specialist Hospitals, while several Primary Healthcare Centres had also been elevated to General Hospital status to strengthen healthcare delivery at the secondary level.

“In addition, the government has upgraded nearly six General Hospitals into Specialist Hospitals, while several Primary Healthcare Centres have been upgraded into General Hospitals. These investments have brought quality healthcare services much closer to the people,” he revealed.

According to him, the upgrades were designed to reduce the need for patients to travel outside their communities or the state in search of specialised medical treatment.

He insisted that expanding the network of specialist and general hospitals had also strengthened the state’s healthcare referral system while improving the quality of services available to residents.

Goje said the administration had complemented investments in physical infrastructure with the recruitment of healthcare professionals and the provision of modern medical equipment to improve service delivery across health facilities.

He maintained that these combined interventions had produced measurable improvements in healthcare outcomes, particularly in maternal and child health.

“When you examine statistics on maternal mortality, child mortality, and other health indicators, you will notice significant reductions. This demonstrates that government investments in healthcare infrastructure, personnel, and equipment are producing positive outcomes for the population,” he said.

According to him, the improvements recorded in key health indicators reflected the effectiveness of the administration’s integrated approach, which combines healthcare financing, infrastructure development, manpower expansion and improved access to essential medical services.

Goje added that the government would continue to strengthen the health insurance programme, expanding healthcare infrastructure and supporting health institutions to ensure that quality, affordable and accessible healthcare remains available to residents in all parts of Yobe State while sustaining the gains already recorded in the sector.