Gov Radda Makes Health Insurance Mandatory for Government Jobs as Katsina Leads Nigeria in Healthcare Financing, Service Delivery
* DG KTSCHMA Seeks Full Implementation of Health Trust Fund
Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has announced that enrollment under the Katsina State Health Insurance Scheme has increased from 355,000 beneficiaries in 2023 to 583,460 in 2026, representing a 64 percent growth within three years.
Governor Radda made the announcement on Friday while flagging off the enrollment of 184,105 beneficiaries into the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) across Katsina State's 361 political wards at the General Hospital, Katsina.
He said the achievement reflects his administration's sustained investment in expanding access to quality healthcare and ensuring that poor and vulnerable citizens are not left behind.
"Today, we are not merely launching another programme. We are taking another bold step towards ensuring that healthcare becomes a right and not a privilege for every citizen of Katsina State," the Governor declared.
Governor Radda stated that Katsina has emerged as one of Nigeria's leading states in healthcare financing and service delivery, with the Katsina State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KTSCHMA) winning the National Health Insurance Excellence Award in both 2024 and 2025.
He disclosed that the agency has also hosted peer-review visits from seven states seeking to understudy Katsina's innovative healthcare financing model.
The Governor further revealed that his administration has revitalised Primary Healthcare Centres across the state, established modern facilities including the Imaging and Cancer Treatment Centreand Dialysis Centre, and upgraded several Comprehensive Health Centres into fully-fledged General Hospitals.
He disclosed that about 98 percent of state and local government employees have been enrolled into the health insurance scheme, while retirees, members of the Hisbah Corps, the Katsina State Community Watch Corps and persons with disabilities continue to benefit from free health insurance provided by the state government.
Governor Radda also announced that enrollment into the Katsina State Health Insurance Scheme has become a mandatory requirement for all government employment programmes.
According to him, the policy is designed to protect beneficiaries from catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenses while accelerating Katsina's drive towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
"An Executive Memorandum will be issued immediately to ensure full compliance across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Health insurance is now mandatory in Katsina State because we are determined to protect our people from avoidable financial hardship arising from medical expenses," the Governor stated.
He explained that the policy aligns with the Federal Government's Universal Health Coverage agenda and his administration's Building Your Future development blueprint.
Governor Radda said the government has strengthened the Katsina State Drugs and Medical Supplies Management Agency through an innovative financing model that channels 50 percent of capitation funds directly to healthcare facilities, significantly reducing drug stock-outs while improving accountability and service delivery.
He noted that Katsina's healthcare financing model has continued to attract national and international recognition, revealing that countries such as Kenya have adopted aspects of the state's healthcare financing framework.
The Governor added that KTSCHMA's robust Information and Communication Technology (ICT) platform now enables real-time tracking of enrollees, enhancing transparency, efficiency and healthcare service delivery.
Governor Radda further disclosed that the Katsina State Government recently paid ₦243 million as counterpart funding for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) as matching grant.
He commended the Director General of KTSCHMA, Mohammed Safana, for his exemplary leadership and professionalism, noting that his emergence as Chairman of the Forum of Chief Executive Officers of State Social Health Insurance Agencies reflects the confidence reposed in him by his colleagues across the country.
The Governor also praised the agency's Governing Council, management and staff for building a transparent, accountable and efficient health insurance system that continues to improve healthcare delivery across Katsina State.
"The journey towards Universal Health Coverage is challenging, but it is achievable. Through collaboration, innovation and accountability, we will continue working until every resident of Katsina State has access to affordable, quality and sustainable healthcare services," Governor Radda affirmed.
He further disclosed that, in line with the resolutions of the recent National Health Insurance Summit, Katsina State has commenced the process of establishing a sustainable healthcare financing model to safeguard the gains recorded in the health sector and preserve them for future generations.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Hon. Musa Adamu Funtua, said the administration has revitalised over 200 Primary Healthcare Centres, recruited more than 1,000 frontline healthcare workers, expanded the Drug Revolving Fund by 400 percent, and increased funding for the state's Free Medicare Programme by 207 percent.
Adamu noted that KTSCHMA's capitation and fee-for-service financing model has transformed healthcare delivery at the General Hospital, Katsina, through the renovation and expansion of critical facilities, the revival of an abandoned operating theatre, the establishment of a Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) and the provision of modern medical equipment, including ECG machines, ultrasound scanners and oxygen concentrators.
Also Speaking, the Director General of the Katsina State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KTSCHMA), Mohammed Safana, described the official flag-off of the BHCPF enrollment as a historic milestone in Katsina's journey towards Universal Health Coverage.
He explained that the BHCPF finances essential primary healthcare services, including antenatal care, immunisation, chronic disease screening and other lifesaving interventions for poor and vulnerable residents.
Safana disclosed that, as of July 2026, KTSCHMA had enrolled over half a million residents into the state's health insurance scheme.
He revealed that, within the last 12 months, the agency financed 205,693 severe malaria treatments, 142,293 hypertension cases, 83,787 diabetes cases, and 17,907 hospital bed days, including Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) services.
According to him, the scheme also financed 223 Caesarean Sections and 150 Evacuation of Retained Products of Conception (ERPC) procedures, significantly improving maternal and child healthcare across the state.
Safana explained that KTSCHMA operates a transparent healthcare financing model, with 50 percent of capitation paid directly to healthcare facilities, 15 percent allocated for human resources, 15 percent for laboratory reagents, 10 percent for administrative costs and 10 percent reserved for sustainability.
He added that the agency's real-time digital enrollee tracking platform has positioned Katsina among Nigeria's leading states in healthcare automation while strengthening transparency, accountability and service delivery.
The Director General attributed the agency's achievements to the visionary leadership of Governor Radda, noting that sustained investment and sound healthcare financing have transformed healthcare delivery across the state.
He also highlighted KTSCHMA's National Health Insurance Excellence Awards in 2024 and 2025, as well as peer-review visits from several states seeking to understudy Katsina's health insurance model.
Safana appealed to Governor Radda to approve the full implementation of the Katsina State Health Trust Fund, saying the initiative would institutionalise sustainable healthcare financing and preserve the administration's achievements for future generations.
On his part, the Medical Director of General Hospital, Katsina, Dr. Abdulrahman Muhammad, thanked Governor Radda for providing the hospital with an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system, solar power generators and a dedicated cleaning company, describing the interventions as transformative.
He said the solar power project has significantly reduced electricity costs, enabling the hospital to channel more of its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) towards procuring medical equipment and maintaining healthcare facilities.
The Medical Director invited Governor Radda to visit General Hospital Katsina to personally inspect the improvements recorded at the facility, describing them as the result of the administration's sustained investment in healthcare.
The event was attended by the Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Nasir Yahaya Daura; the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Abdullahi Garba Faskari; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir; members of the Katsina State Executive Council; heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs); traditional rulers; development partners; healthcare stakeholders; and other senior government officials.
Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Katsina State
07 August, 2026
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