Tuesday 13th of July, 2021 marked a significant milestone in the quest to improve access to quality and affordable health care at the grassroots as a flag-off ceremony was held to officially mark the commencement of the Christian Aid-funded UHC Intervention being implemented by DGI Consult in Keffi LGA of Nasarawa State.

 The Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State (Dr. Emmanuel Akabe), Nasarawa State Commissioner for Health (Pharm. Ahmed B. Yahaya), the Emir of Keffi (Dr. Shehu Chindo Yamusa) and representatives from the Nasarawa State Health Insurance Agency (NASHIA) were in attendance at the ceremony held at the Primary Healthcare Centre, Tudun Kofa in Keffi LGA.

The highlight of the event is the presentation of enrollee cards to some of the 440 beneficiaries enrolled by the project into the Nasarawa State Health Insurance Scheme (NASHIS). These beneficiaries are poor and vulnerable people including under-5 children, women, as well as elderly and physically challenged persons selected from the four implementation Wards.

In his remark, the Deputy Governor stated that “The only way to achieve universal health coverage is through the insurance policies and Nasarawa State under the able leadership of Governor Abdullahi S. Sule wants to move towards this direction “.

He also added that the launch of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) has allowed Nasarawa State to register 16,000 persons under the BHCPF programme of the State health insurance scheme, but considering the State’s population, there’s a need for others to complement the efforts of the Federal Government and this is why the State has keyed into the BHCPF and made equity contributions. He stated that the Government cannot do it alone, and requested the support of individuals, societies, and groups towards achieving a healthy community.

The project which is being implemented across four (4) wards in Keffi LGA seeks to achieve grassroots UHC goals through (a) Community mobilization and sensitization; (b) advocacy for the adoption of the poor and vulnerable people; (c) promoting innovative approach for resource mobilization to expand health insurance coverage to the vulnerable and marginalized people, and (d) strengthening the capacity of communities to hold policymakers and political class accountable for the implementation of pro-UHC policy thrusts.