The Executive Secretary of the Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA), Dr. Rahila Aliyu Muktar, has spearheaded a stakeholder engagement to reinforce the Students’ Contributory Health Scheme (SCHEP), a strategic initiative aimed at providing quality, affordable, and sustainable healthcare for students across educational institutions in Kano State.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Rahila Aliyu Muktar emphasized that SCHEP is designed to ensure that students can access healthcare services without exposing their families to financial hardship.
She described the Scheme as a proactive approach to safeguarding students’ health while strengthening healthcare delivery within schools, colleges, and universities.
“SCHEP is structured to maintain high standards, ensuring that funds are available to engage accredited healthcare facilities for timely services. Proper patronage across all levels of care is key to efficiency, sustainability, and accountability,”
Highlighting the student-centered nature of the Scheme, she noted that SCHEP addresses health needs ranging from preventive care and health education to early medical intervention.
She reiterated KSCHMA’s commitment to collaborating with educational institutions, healthcare providers, and development partners to ensure smooth implementation and continuous improvement.
During the engagement, participants reviewed SCHEP operational guidelines to identify gaps, propose improvements, and strengthen coordination. The interactive sessions provided stakeholders an opportunity to contribute practical insights toward refining the Scheme.
Representatives from the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) acknowledged that SCHEP aligns with national health financing reforms and advances the goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Early enrolment in the Scheme promotes timely access to healthcare while fostering long-term awareness and positive health-seeking behavior among students.
The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) highlighted the importance of data-driven planning, strong partnerships, and evidence-based design for successful implementation, pledging technical support to strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems.
Stakeholders—including the Ministry of Higher Education, Kano State Science and Technical Schools Board, Kano State Senior Secondary Schools Management Board, and Parents Teachers Associations—unanimously agreed that SCHEP implementation will improve student healthcare, protect families from catastrophic medical expenses, and strengthen the state’s healthcare system.
The programme concluded with a call for sustained collaboration among government agencies, educational institutions, healthcare providers, and development partners to fully achieve SCHEP’s objectives.