APA-Dakar (Senegal) – The Senegalese government launched in 2013 the Universal Health coverage (CMU) program.
In 2018, the National Agency for Universal Health Coverage (ANCMU) and the National Union of Community Health Mutuals (UNAMUSC) forged a strategic partnership to make Mutual Promotion Agents (APMs) available to mutual organizations. According to El Hadj Ndiogou Diouf, Secretary General of the Ministry of Community Development, National Solidarity and Social and Territorial Equality, this has helped to increase the membership of health mutuals.
“The APMs have made a major contribution to strengthening ANACMU’s performance, which to date has been remarkable, particularly in the area of mutuality promotion, with 4,514,819 beneficiaries of health risk coverage through mutual health insurance,” said Mr. Diouf on Thursday in Dakar at the second edition of the national APMs Day on the theme: “The role of APMs in the implementation of universal health coverage.”
Diouf then recalled that this recruitment of 603 service providers, mainly young Senegalese, has brought a new dynamic to the promotion of mutuality, with the strengthening of communication strategies, the professionalization of mutual organizations, the digitalization of health insurance management procedures and the implementation of CMU offices in health structures, in line with the new orientations of ANACMU.
“I would like to remind you that, despite ANACMU’s notable achievements, the challenges of local communication and the strengthening of CMU governance through the digitalization of procedures remain priorities for the effective implementation of the CMU program,” he said.
On his part, Dr Mamadou Bocar Daff, Executive Director of ANACMU, emphasized that Mutual Health Insurance Promotion Agents play an essential role in mobilizing target populations for mass membership in mutual health insurance schemes, collecting membership and contribution fees to strengthen the financing of mutual health insurance schemes, and massifying them.
“In addition, they provide invaluable support in strengthening the quality of mutual health insurance management and undoubtedly constitute a solid pool of qualified human resources on which the CMU program continues to rely to achieve its objectives,” said Dr Daff.
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