By Bashir Abubakar
The Bauchi State Health Contributory Management Agency (BASHCMA) has renewed its commitment to providing accessible and quality healthcare services through the signing of a new Service-Level Agreement (SLA) with healthcare providers across the state. The signing ceremony took place during a one-day engagement meeting held at Pali Suite, Bauchi.
In his address, the Executive Secretary of BASHCMA, Alhaji Ibrahim Inuwa Duguri, reaffirmed the agency’s determination to ensure quality service delivery to clients enrolled under its healthcare scheme. He explained that the annual meeting was designed to review performance, renew contracts, and strengthen collaboration between the agency and accredited healthcare facilities.
Duguri disclosed that forty public and private hospitals participated in this year’s engagement, emphasizing that the agency remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted supply and fair distribution of essential medicines to clients.
The BASHCMA boss cautioned participating facilities against any form of misconduct or breach of contractual obligations, stressing that the agency would not hesitate to sanction erring providers. He noted that mutual accountability and adherence to service standards were critical to maintaining public trust and achieving sustainable healthcare coverage in Bauchi State.
Speaking on behalf of the Bauchi State Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Director of Hospital Services, Dr. Sulaiman Auwal Abubakar, commended BASHCMA for aligning the engagement with the state government’s policy of expanding access to quality healthcare. He urged participants to take advantage of the interactive session to seek clarifications and share insights that would improve service delivery.
Also delivering a goodwill message, the representative of the National Health Insurance Agency (NHIA) in Bauchi State, Dr. Hassan Shuaibu Musa, praised BASHCMA for creating a platform to discuss implementation challenges and strengthen collaboration among stakeholders. He described the engagement as a key step toward enhancing access to healthcare and advancing the state’s drive toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Other speakers, including representative of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital and private healthcare providers, echoed the call for continuous dialogue and training.
Some participants, such as Dr. Aminu Adamu Sa’idu of Yelwan Duguri Hospital and Dr. Adamu Ibrahim Ningi of Nagari Hospital, appealed to the agency to intensify client education on their rights and responsibilities under the scheme. The event featured technical presentations on referrals, claims, infractions, and sanctions, culminating in the formal signing of the renewed Service-Level Agreement between BASHCMA and the healthcare providers.
