Stakeholders under the Taraba Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Forum have unanimously declared that no family should be driven into poverty as a result of medical expenses, stressing the need for urgent reforms to make healthcare affordable and accessible to all residents of the state.
The declaration was made over the weekend in Jalingo during the official launch of the Taraba UHC Forum, held as part of activities marking the UHC 2025 commemoration.
Participants noted that the high cost of healthcare, particularly essential services and medicines, remains a major barrier preventing many families from accessing quality care.
Convened by the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Initiative Development (CFID), Dr. (Prince) Danjuma K. Adda, who is also an Advisory Group Member of the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for UHC2030 representing Africa, the forum highlighted that more than 100 million people worldwide are pushed into extreme poverty annually due to healthcare-related expenses.
He added that approximately 800 million people globally lack access to essential health services, with many forced to rely on out-of-pocket payments that deepen their financial hardship.
“No family should be driven into poverty due to medical expenses. We must work together to build a health system that protects all residents of Taraba from financial hardship when they seek care,” Dr. Adda said.
He explained that the newly inaugurated UHC Forum is a strategic platform aimed at strengthening collaboration, promoting policy dialogue, and driving collective action toward the realization of universal health coverage in Taraba State.
According to him, the primary objective of the forum is to ensure that every child in the state receives essential health services and that mothers have access to care with dignity.
At the event, a UHC Forum Declaration was unveiled, outlining Taraba State’s commitment to improving healthcare access, strengthening service delivery, and shielding residents from the financial burden of medical care. The declaration emphasized the need for equitable, inclusive, and responsive health systems.
Dr. Adda identified several challenges hindering access to healthcare in the state, including high out-of-pocket costs, long distances to health facilities, transportation difficulties, poor health worker attitudes, and weak referral systems. He called for the enactment of laws and policies that protect citizens from unaffordable healthcare costs while prioritizing equity in service delivery.
He also stressed the importance of strengthening primary healthcare, expanding financial protection mechanisms, amplifying community voices, and ensuring that healthcare services respond effectively to the needs of the people.
Speaking on behalf of the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bordiya Buna, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Harmony Chufor, commended the initiative, describing it as timely and impactful. He said the forum would play a critical role in ensuring healthcare services reach all parts of the state.
“Healthcare should not be a privilege for the few, but a fundamental right for all. This forum is key to ensuring that no one, regardless of location or economic status, is excluded from accessing affordable and quality healthcare services,” Dr. Chufor stated.
Representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Taraba, the State Health Service Management Board, the State Contributory Health Insurance Agency, and several civil society organizations, among others, also expressed support for the CFID-led initiative, pledging to collaborate in addressing barriers to healthcare access across the state.
The National Council of Women Societies highlighted the crucial role of women in health advocacy, particularly in promoting improved healthcare access for mothers and children. Their participation in the forum, according to them, is expected to help ensure that the needs of women and children are adequately reflected in health policies.
The Taraba UHC Forum, as observed by our reporter, represents a unified and strategic approach to tackling the systemic challenges of healthcare delivery in the state. Through sustained advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and policy dialogue, the forum aims to build a resilient health system that leaves no one behind.
For residents of Taraba State, the launch of the forum, as made known by some participants, offers renewed hope for a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable healthcare future, as stakeholders commit to making universal health coverage a reality.
Healthcare costs must not bankrupt families – Taraba UHC Forum
