By Amina Ahmed
The Bauchi State Health Contributory Management Agency (BASCHMA) says it would enrol 200 sickle cell patients on its ongoing free health care service scheme in the state.
The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Mansur Dada, stated this on Tuesday, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Bauchi.
He said that the pilot exercise would have beneficiaries drawn from Bauchi local government area, as the agency planned to partner with the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital on the services.
The Executive Secretary said that the exercise would subsequently be scaled up across the state.
“We have the list of 200 sickle cell patients with us and we intend to commence free treatment in March, 2022.
“We are going to meet with the management of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital on services.
“More will be gradually enrolled to benefit from the scheme,” he said.
Similarly, Hajiya Fatima Bayero, Chairperson, Sickle Cell Club, Bauchi, confirmed to NAN that the list of the 200 intended beneficiaries was generated and submitted to BASCHMA for its intervention.
She said that the Bauchi-based Non Governmental Organization (NGO) had deployed machinery across the state to source quality data on people with sickle cell in the state.
“We are delighted that the agency requested data to facilitate free healthcare for sickle cell patients. We are still in other local governments to ensure that quality data was generated.
“This exercise would no doubt support families with patients; as the treatment is too expensive”, she said.
Bayero appreciated the Bauchi state government for its foresight on providing free healthcare to vulnerable persons in the society.
She called on development partners and philanthropists to consider sickle cell patients in their support, adding that mass sensitization was necessary to reduce the burden of the condition. (NAN)
