By Johnson Umishi
The Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Health Insurance Agency (NASHIA), Dr. Yahaya Bawa Ubam, has paid an advocacy visit to the former Governor of Nasarawa State and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), His Excellency Dr. Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Turakin Keffi) on Saturday.
During the visit, Dr. Ubam briefed Senator Adamu on the establishment and mandate of NASHIA, created in line with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) guidelines, which call on all states to implement health insurance schemes in pursuit of the World Health Organization’s 2030 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) target.
He highlighted the agency’s two major programmes: the Formal Sector Programme, designed for state civil servants, and the Informal Sector Programme, which targets private individuals, farmers, members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), market traders, and other groups operating outside the formal employment system.
Dr. Ubam emphasized the need for strong community support in achieving the agency’s objectives. He appealed to Senator Adamu and other prominent stakeholders to adopt vulnerable individuals into the scheme, stressing the crucial role of philanthropists, business leaders, and government officials in expanding access to healthcare for the less privileged.
Responding, Senator Abdullahi Adamu expressed appreciation for the government’s efforts in establishing the agency. He described the initiative as timely and essential, particularly in addressing the financial burden of healthcare on low-income families. He commended the agency’s vision and assured Dr. Ubam of his full support.
The former governor further pledged to adopt a number of vulnerable individuals into the scheme and promised to officially announce, in the coming weeks, the number of individuals he will adopt into the health insurance scheme.
Dr. Ubam was accompanied on the visit by NASHIA’s Deputy Director of Marketing and Business Development, Mallam Usman Sale, and his Personal Assistant, Mr. Maikasuwa.
