Niger State Contributory Health Agency (NiCare) in collaboration with Aspire Alliance for Niger State Youths (AANY) is holding some free medical outreaches and sensitization for eleven Local Government Areas round theState.
The Local Government Areas include Bosso, Paikoro,Suleja, Agaie, Lapai, Mokwa, Lavun and Bida. Others are Kontagora, Wushishi and Chanchaga.
Flagging off the program at the Palace of the District Head of Maikunkele, the Director Programmes and Business Development NiCare, Pharmacist Attahiru Shehu Malagi reiterated that the agency was set up to provide quality healthcare that is affordable and efficient to all citizens of the state.
He said the officials of the Agency usually seized opportunity of programmes like the outreach to sensitize the public on the need to subscribe to NiCare by contributing a token as to have access to quality and affordable healthcare that is efficient.
The Director explained that a subscriber start accessing healthcare services from primary healthcare facility and in cases that the facility cannot provide the required services, patients are referred to a secondary or tertiary healthcare facility, depending on the nature of sickness.
He disclosed that as an individual subscriber one is expected to pay N12,000 per annum to be granted access to the healthcare services under NiCare, and that a beneficiary is at liberty to choose the healthcare facility of choice, but that they usually advise people to choose facility close to them for easy and timely access to healthcare services.
Pharmacist Attahiru added that the Agency have been carrying out sensitisation activities, particularly advocacy visits to the gate keepers of the communities, such as the emirate councils and traditional leaders, but that the medical outreach is the first collaborative activity carried out by the Agency. He also expressed readiness of the Agency to collaborate with other organisations to provide access to quality and affordable healthcare services to the people of Niger state.
Similarly, the District head of Maikunkele, Alhaji Suleiman Abdullahi Dada appreciated NiCare and Aspire Alliance for the kind gesture and urged the beneficiaries to make themselves available and utilize whatever that is given to them, advising that Malaria is very dangerous and as such they should always make use of Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets.
Earlier, the lead volunteer for the free medical outreach of the Aspire Alliance for Niger state youths, Dr Aliyu Haruna Sani said the organisation provides humanitarian services to the people in the areas of health and education.
He disclosed that the current project of the organisation was in the health sector where they intend to provide free medical services in the eleven selected Local Government Areas of the state.
Dr Aliyu explained that the concept of Aspire Alliance for Niger state Youths focuses on different aspects of livelihoods which comprises of health and education.
“We provide educational support and free teaching in both primary and secondary schools in our communities. We provide healthcare services like we are doing now, and this is the flagg off for this year”
Some of the beneficiaries expressed their appreciation to both NiCare and Aspire Alliance for the gesture, particularly on the free Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets and other tests services and advice provided.
Some of the services provided during the outreach programme were free consultancy services, Malaria, Hepatitis and HIV tests and counselling, as well as free drugs and insecticide treated mosquito nets.
