By Ibrahim Abdullahi
The Kano State Health Trust Fund (KHETFUND) has unveiled a beneficiary guide that explains the relevant procedures the beneficiaries should follow before accessing funds from the Agency.
It could be recalled that the Agency was established by the Kano state government under law No. 3 of 2017 and charged with the responsibility of collecting, managing, and disbursing funds to the public health institutions and other health-related services in the state through their MDAs.
Speaking at the event, the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, said the guide has explicitly stated the procedure and process of accessing the funds, as well as how the application should be made by the beneficiary agencies.
Dr. Labaran explained that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is poised to revitalize the health sector of the state, pleasurably noting that that is why His Excellency is strengthening the health agencies for them to achieve their mandates effectively and efficiently.
The Commissioner further stated that KHETFUND has been a very significant Agency in the state’s healthcare system that supports its sister agencies and health educational institutions financially in executing projects and programs that enhance service delivery in the health facilities.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Hajiya Amina Aliyu Musa, Dr. Labaran has charged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the guide for the overall benefit of the people of the state.
He commended the effort of the KHETFUND for coming up with the guide, maintaining that it is in line with the commitment of His Excellency to ensuring prudence, transparency, and accountability in his administration.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr. Fatima Zahradeen, said the decision to come up with the guide is necessary owing to the commitment of the administration of Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf to total transformation of the health sector of the state, and to address the funding gap which is in tandem with the global best practice.
She said the Agency is receiving lofty requests from its various beneficiaries on the healthcare system as a whole to provide interventions, adding that the funds are accessed after assessment, screening, and verification before onward transmission to the Honourable Commissioner for approval.
Dr. Fatima added that given these voluminous requests, the Agency deems it pertinent to come up with a booklet that spelled out sources of the fund, funds utilization, beneficiaries, and the process of accessing the funds.
She enjoined all beneficiaries especially focal persons to abide by the guide and consider it as their guideline for accessing the funds, and to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the resource utilization in any approved intervention.
The Executive Secretary eulogized the sterling leadership style of Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf for his support to her agency in approving requests that require uppermost attention to maintain the sustenance of universal health coverage in the state.
The Director of Operation of the Agency, Dr. Muhammad Lawan Adamu, later took the participants to the general overview of the KHETFUND and the content of the beneficiary guide and entertained questions, comments, and observations to make the guide stronger.
