National Assembly: Cavaye calls for massive enrolment on Universal Health Coverage scheme.

He made the appeal as he opened the Second Ordinary Session of Parliament for the 2024 Legislative year on Tuesday June 11.  

The opening plenary sitting was attended by members of government and diplomatic corps accredited to Yaounde. 

In his remark, the House Speaker said the Universal Health Coverage scheme, which the country has embarked on since April 2023, is an important initiative geared towards ensuring Cameroonians have access to health services while reducing health-related out-of-pocket expenses.

The Universal Health Coverage, endorsed by President Paul Biya, through his policy on social equity and promotion of citizens’ welfare, is being implemented in its first phase.

He then indicated that the results of the universal healthcare delivery project obtained so far, are quite encouraging.

According to the House Speaker, statistics show that 3,177,914 persons and 2,487,853 persons have so far registered on pre-enrolment and enrolment registries. 

This enrolment statistics presented, he added, concern children aged from 0 to 5 years and pregnant women who are already receiving free treatment for uncomplicated and complicated malaria. 

“Charges for pre-natal consultations and delivery consultations have been reduced to 6,000 FCFAF, representing 10% of previous charges, while the cost of dialysis per annum has been reduced to 16,000 FCFAF, that is about 3% of the previous amount,” he declared. 

He then admonished citizens not to be swayed by the misinformation, manipulation and sinister campaign social media and other media outlets against the universal healthcare delivery scheme. 

“Such a state of affairs should lead government to adopt a befitting and robust communication strategy in order to keep the populace informed and educate the general public on its advisability, implementation and objectives. I am also urging regional and local authorities and Members of the National Assembly to contribute their quota in the said education and sensitisation campaign,” he appealed.

Need for qualified, dedicated health workers

The lawmaker also highlighted that there can be no viable universal healthcare delivery scheme without qualified, dedicated and committed health personnel. 

Hon Cavaye equally expressed his delight with the return to normalcy within the ranks of health personnel after a long period of sit-ins. 

“The return to normalcy is, without doubt, the outcome of social dialogue between public health officials and health workers’ unions,” Cavaye stated as he hoped the said dialogue will continue. 

While saluting the decision to create a standing committee on social dialogue in the Ministry of Public Health, Hon Cavaye exhorted government to address the concerns and solve the problems of health workers.

He also used the opportunity to remind the health workers of the necessity of 

respecting the oath, they took by being present at their respective duty posts across the country. He called on them to be ready to serve the nation in wherever they are being deployed in the country as an expression of their patriotism.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Issues No:3140 of Thursday June 13, 2024