A total of 9,098 underprivileged individuals have benefited from the Kaduna North Health Endowment Fund Scheme since its inception in December 2021, according to the local government chairman, Muktar Baloni. He made this announcement during the scheme’s unwinding event, highlighting its goal of providing affordable and accessible healthcare services to residents of the local government area.
The health initiative involved nine selected health facilities within the Kaduna North Local Government Area (LGA), including:
- PHC Unguwar Sarki
- PHC Unguwar Rimi
- PHC Badarawa
- PHC Unguwar Dosa
- PHC Unguwar Shanu
- PHC Kabala
- PHC Unguwar Kanawa
- Zakari Memorial PHC
- PHC Radin Guza
Baloni mentioned that a committee was established to support the initiative by addressing health challenges within the program’s focus area. Each of the nine committee members received a monthly stipend of N25,000 throughout the program’s 26-month duration.
In total, approximately N24.412 million was spent on the program, which included the stipends paid to committee members, benefiting the 9,098 patients.
However, Baloni noted some challenges, including the lack of an enabling legal framework to sustain the health endowment fund and the absence of clear budgetary provisions for such programs. He explained that the council funded the scheme using its security votes and urged future administrations to sustain the initiative to improve healthcare accessibility for the sick.
To ensure the program’s longevity, Baloni called for the enactment of a bye-law, the Kaduna North Healthcare Endowment Act, and measures at the council legislative level to institutionalize the program. He emphasized the need for private sector participation to secure additional resources for the initiative.
Community leader Alhaji Usman Abba Ibrahim praised Baloni for initiating the scheme, describing it as the first of its kind in decades for the state. He also urged the incoming administration to continue the program for the benefit of the poor, who are the primary beneficiaries of such healthcare initiatives.
