Public Health officials in the South West Region have disclosed that 166,410 people have been enrolled in the Universal Health Coverage scheme, one year after it was launched.
At a press briefing in Buea on Tuesday, April 23, the Regional Delegate for Public Health, Dr. Eko Eko Filbert, called on the population to take advantage of the UHC programme.
The press conference, which aimed to evaluate the first phase of the programme one year after its launch, brought together staff of the regional delegation, journalists, and other stakeholders.
Presentations by the health authorities revealed that the South West has already covered 40 percent of the target population for UHC, which is close to the 60 percent coverage expected by 2025.
Dr. Eko Eko Filbert expressed satisfaction with the progress of the programme, stating, “We are very satisfied; we are still to achieve 60% of our target, but as of now, we are more than 80% completed, so we think that we’re doing a lot.”
Cameroon launched the first phase of Universal Health Coverage in April 2023 to enable equitable access to basic healthcare services for the population.
Packages offered by Phase I of the UHC include free consultation for children aged 0–5 years; free malaria diagnosis and treatment for pregnant women and children aged 0-5 years; free hemodialysis and treatment for TB; and free vaccination for several diseases.
For dialysis patients, they have to pay a yearly registration fee of FCFA 15,000 at the dialysis centre, where they can obtain free dialysis throughout the year.
Previously, kidney patients spent more than FCFA 607,000 a year for dialysis sessions, conducted every two weeks.
Hospitals that offer services approved by the UHC scheme are then reimbursed by the government under the Fund for Health Promotion.
In the South West, the implementation of the UHC is limited by insecurity, bad roads, and a lack of awareness among the target population.
Dr Filbert Eko acknowledged these challenges but expressed optimism about the programme’s sustainability.
Highlighting the importance of the universal health coverage package in improving healthcare and reducing financial barriers, Dr. Eko Eko Filbert urged the population to seize the opportunity.
He explained that children aged 0–5 can receive free consultations at any government health facility, and if diagnosed with malaria, both diagnosis and treatment are free.
Statistics revealed that approximately 166,000 people have been pre-enrolled in the universal health coverage programme, with 125,000 already benefiting from it, representing a 40% coverage rate.
The delegate indicated that by 2025, about 60% of the target population would have been covered.
The universal health coverage programme aims to ensure that all individuals and communities have access to quality healthcare services without suffering financial hardship.
It is a crucial step towards achieving the government’s goal of providing healthcare for all citizens.
