Buni Unveils Lifeline for Retirees, Approves Free Healthcare Across Yobe

Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has approved free medical treatment for all retired state and local government workers across the state.

The initiative aims to ease the burden of accessing healthcare faced by retirees, particularly as they grow older.

The Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency, Dr Babagana Tijjani, disclosed this in an interview with Channels Television. He confirmed that the enrolment of retirees has already commenced across the state’s 17 local government areas.

“As part of Governor Buni’s equity programme for the vulnerable individuals, he has approved the enrollment of all retired state and local government employees to enjoy free medical treatment without paying a single kobo,” Dr Tijjani stated. “The exercise is currently taking place across the 17 local government areas of the state.”

According to Dr Tijjani, about 20,000 retirees have been enrolled in the first phase of the programme. He also revealed that 45,000 civil servants have been enrolled into the formal sector scheme over the past seven years.

Under that arrangement, workers contribute 1.75 per cent of their monthly salaries, while the state government contributes 3.25 per cent.

However, he noted that the number of active workers currently on the agency’s dashboard is around 35,000, as some have left service, died, or retired.

The executive secretary acknowledged that the growing number of beneficiaries has created some challenges for healthcare providers.

Despite the pressure on health facilities, Dr Tijjani assured residents that the government is working to expand services and improve healthcare delivery across the state.

He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to implementing the programme efficiently to ensure pensioners benefit from quality healthcare without financial hardship.

The Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency was established under Yobe State Law No. 7 of 2019 to implement the state’s contributory healthcare scheme.

Governor Buni’s approval represents a significant step towards achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030.