With the technical and financial support of the SP&PFM Programme, a national workshop in Koudougou (22–25 November 2022) targeted the participation of social mutual organizations in the implementation of the universal health insurance scheme (RAMU) in Burkina Faso. The discussion attracted around 40 mutualist actors representing support structures, such as social mutual groups, federations of community and professional mutual organizations, trade unions, NGOs working in mutuality and ministries and institutions implementing social health protection.

Participants of the workshop discussing the involvement of social mutual actors in the implementation of the RAMU. 

Despite the free health care policies implemented since 2000, Burkina Faso still faces difficulties in guaranteeing access to quality health care for its population, especially for people working in the informal economy and living in rural areas, with a large proportion of them from poor and vulnerable households. To achieve its aim of promoting access to health care for the entire population while protecting them against financial difficulties in the event of illness through compulsory contributions and the care of indigent people, the RAMU intends to include social mutual organizations in its operationalization by delegating certain functions to them, given their proximity to the population.

The workshop summarized the various consultations that have taken place since the launch of the universal health insurance project in 2008 that was followed by discussion on finding the best strategy to enable social mutual organizations to participate in the operationalization of the RAMU and in its extension to workers in the informal economy and to rural and vulnerable households. The participants concluded with recommendations to the Ministry of Public Service, Labour, and Social Protection and a road map comprising 13 actions.

The recommendations highlight the need to strengthen the capacities of the social mutual organizations by promoting their development and enhancement at the territorial level. Some of the road map actions will be carried out within General Directorate of Social Protection activities or within the support structures of social mutual organizations, while others will be implemented through advocacy activities for resource mobilization.

Learn more about SP&PFM in Burkina Faso here.