ADDIS ABABA – The Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI) coverage has reached to some 52.4 million people across the country, said the Ministry of Health (MoH).
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Health Financing Improvement Program, six years project end of program ceremony held yesterday.
Speaking at the occasion, State Minister of Health Ayele Teshome (MD) said the country is making strides in developing a comprehensive insurance system, which will serve as a safety net for our citizens, shielding them from the financial burden often associated with seeking medical care. Since community-based health insurance was piloted in 2011 in 4 states and selected 13 districts, it has expanded to cover all states and to more than 1,052 district.
Currently CBHI has enrolled approximately 11.1 million households constituting about 52.4 million people. Currently, the MoH developed Health Sector Medium Term Development and Investment Plan for 2023/24-2025/26 to maintaining and enhancing the significant accomplishments achieved by the country, he said.
It aims to shift more sustainable health financing from external to domestic sources. It also facilitates collaboration between the government and private sector to meet national health priorities, he added.
As to him, efforts are underway to establish a health fund designed to generate additional resources from new sources for finance emergency responses, provide exempted health services and support initiatives that promote equity for socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.
It requires mobilizing additional resources from innovative financing sources and the private sector to pool health resources and digitize the health financing system. The support of implementing partners such as the USAID Health Financing Improvement Program has been immense.
For her part, the USAID Ethiopia Deputy Director Eleanor Tanpiengco said that access to healthcare financing helps create a healthier society, brings economic stability, and improves everyone’s quality of life. The USAID is working to improve the health of Ethiopians.
The USAID Health Financing Improvement Program has worked to support a health system where everyone can get the care they need without worrying about the cost. It is also working to improve the health of Ethiopians and build a healthcare system where everyone can get the services they need, she added.
With USAID support, more than 52 million people are now enrolled in the community-based health insurance program. They can protect their assets because they only need to pay a 780 birr premium on average to get basic health services for themselves and their families for a full year, she stated.
BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER 2024
