The Gombe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (GoHealth) has announced plans to provide health insurance coverage for Tsangaya and Almajiri pupils in the state. This initiative is part of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s integrated approach to Almajiri education.
Dr. Abubakar Musa, Team Lead at GoHealth, made this known during a courtesy visit by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tsangaya and Almajiri Education, Sayyada Amina Sheikh Dahiru.
He stated, “This visit is very timely as the Agency is about to embark on the Cohort-4 enrollment and revalidation of beneficiaries of our equity programme for the poor and vulnerable.”
Dr. Musa explained that the Agency’s equity program has three entry points: the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) with over 50,000 beneficiaries, the state equity program with 1,000 enrolled, and the donor-funded equity program where individuals and organizations can sponsor beneficiaries. He noted that the Agency is currently partnering with UNICEF’s Zero Dose program, which has enrolled 10,000 beneficiaries, including children under five and their caregivers.
“We believe the Almajiri pupils can benefit immensely from our equity program for the poor and vulnerable,” Dr. Musa said. However, he acknowledged that the Agency may not be able to cover the entire Almajiri population initially, but will start with pupils in the Almajiri model schools built by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya in all 11 local government areas.
Sayyada Amina Sheikh Dahiru, Special Adviser to the Governor on Tsangaya and Almajiri Education, praised the initiative, saying, “This is a laudable effort by GoHealth, and we will take the suggestions seriously. This will be a first in the country and a model for other states going forward.”
Governor Yahaya’s administration has been reforming the Almajiri education system, including building model schools and providing special ID cards in partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
