(3 Minutes Read)
A few people, who got the universal card, say that the problem starts when they get admitted to a hospital for treatment. Hospitals say that cards do not work.
Ivory Coast this month launched mobile enrolment centres for the country’s universal health coverage programme. But not many are enthralled by this move. They feel that it seldom works. To avail of benefits under the scheme, the citizens should get registered. It is easier said than done. Many such centres spotted across the country seldom work.
A few people, who got the universal card, say that the problem starts when they get admitted to a hospital for treatment. Hospitals say that cards do not work.
Despite the issues facing the programme, Health Minister Pierre Dimba hopes that it can become a basic insurance that covers every Ivorian citizen, with private insurance used only as a supplement. The government is currently considering the possibility of making this card usable in private establishments, the minister says. He assures that ultimately, it will be a unique platform of health coverage.
The universal health coverage, known locally by its French acronym CMU, is meant to cover 70% of people’s healthcare costs for 1,000 West African CFA francs (US$1.65). The mobile enrolment centres sign up individuals and families and print cards onsite, so recipients can start receiving care immediately at hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies nationwide.
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Authorities said the centres would be able to reach those who cannot get to traditional enrolment centres because of the nature of their jobs, with many working long hours in the informal sector. While the government remains positive, only 40% of the population is registered in a programme that has been heavily criticised by Ivorians as ineffective.
