Lawmakers have stressed the need for government to ensure that the much clamoured for initiative covers all strata of the population.
During a special plenary at the National Assembly Manaouda Malachie, Minister of Public Health enlightened MPs on the project which aims at providing accessible and affordable health care.
According to him, the health plan will include the treatment of basic pathologies such as malaria, tuberculosis and nutrition. The first phase will target children below five years, pregnant women and nursing mothers. He added that the pilot phase of the project has already been finalized with implementation slated for 2023.
The special session that took place ahead of the International Health Coverage Day observed on 12 December was an opportunity for lawmakers to voice their concerns about the scheme to which assurances were provided by Minister Manaouda.
According to the WHO, at least half of the people in the world do not receive the health services they need. About 100 million people are pushed into extreme poverty each year because of out-of-pocket spending on health. International Universal Health Coverage Day thus aims to raise awareness of the need for strong and resilient health systems and universal health coverage with multi-stakeholder partners. Each year on 12 December, UHC advocates raise their voices to share the stories of the millions of people still waiting for health, champion what we have achieved so far, call on leaders to make bigger and smarter investments in health, and encourage diverse groups to make commitments to help move the world closer to UHC by 2030.
To ensure a healthy future for all, health systems must be efficient for everyone – no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they have. Equitable health coverage puts women, children, adolescents, and the most vulnerable first because they face the most significant barriers to essential care.
Cameroon’s lawmakers are optimistic that with the implementation of the universal health coverage scheme, death rates in Cameroon will be reduced as poverty will not be an impediment for the population to have access to healthcare.
Claudette CHIN
