Health authorities in Ivory Coast have launched mobile enrollment centers for the country’s universal health coverage program, addressing criticisms since its 2019 launch over difficulties in accessing benefits.
Ivory Coast is among the few West African nations offering a universal health program.
However, five years later, less than half of its citizens are enrolled.
The program, known locally by its French acronym CMU, aims to cover 70% of healthcare costs for a monthly fee of 1,000 West African CFA francs, or about $1.65.
Despite this, many participants who have enrolled have encountered issues, such as vouchers from hospitals being rejected at pharmacies, forcing patients to pay out of pocket.
Mobile enrollment centers, set up at markets and in remote neighborhoods, aim to help Ivorians sign up for the program and receive cards on the spot, enabling them to immediately access care at hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies nationwide.
Between 2019 and this year, enrollment has been achieved by only 13 million people, which represents 40% of the population.
Health Minister Pierre Dimba highlighted that the mobile centers aim to assist individuals who have faced obstacles in signing up, such as those with demanding work schedules.
“We are employing a strategy similar to our successful approach during the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, reaching out to people in markets and remote neighborhoods for enrollment,” he explained.
One resident, Bruno Agnissan, already in possession of a CMU card, visited an Abidjan mobile enrollment center seeking information on its proper utilization.
He recounted an incident where his son was undergoing treatment for malaria at a hospital, only for the facility to run out of medicine.
In response, he was issued a voucher and instructed to procure the medicine from a nearby pharmacy.
“When we went to the pharmacy and I presented the voucher, they told me it was only for civil servants and wouldn’t work for us individuals,” Agnissan explained. “I tried several pharmacies, but none accepted it.” Ultimately, he had to pay for the medicine himself.
Samuel Touffet, another local resident seeking clarity on coverage under the program at the mobile center, shared similar concerns to Agnissan’s.
“There are many pharmacies where the card doesn’t work when we try to use it,” he explained. “We need to know which pharmacies accept it. Also, sometimes hospitals reject the card, so we’re unsure of its value.”
In contrast, resident Martin Abou, enrolling himself and his family for the first time, expressed optimism.
“You never know what tomorrow holds,” he said.
Health Minister Dimba expressed his aspiration for the program to evolve into a fundamental insurance covering every Ivorian citizen, with private insurance serving as supplementary coverage.
He emphasised that the aim was to enroll 20 million Ivorians by the end of the year.
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