The Association of Insurance Companies of Côte d’lvoire (ASA-CI) and the Association of Private Clinics of Côte d’lvoire (ACPCl), signed a collaboration agreement, on Tuesday March 29, 2022, at the office of the Minister of Economy and Finance located on the 20th floor of the SCIAM building in Plateau. And this, under the co-presidency of Ministers Pierre Dimba and Adama Coulibaly, respectively Minister of Health, Public Hygiene and Universal Health Coverage, and Minister of Economy and Finance.
On the occasion, the Minister Pierre Dimba welcomed this collaboration agreement between the ASA-CI and the ACP-Cl. He welcomed the interest that these two associations give to the health of the Ivorian populations. Not without noting their precious role in the structuring and regulation of the health sector in Côte d’Ivoire. For him, this commitment will help to effectively reduce maternal, neonatal and infant mortality and improve emergency services through humanized care through a local policy. “With the implementation of Universal Health Coverage (CMU), the compulsory basic insurance for people living in Côte d’Ivoire, insurance companies now have a complementary role. I am delighted with this agreement guaranteeing relations between insurers and private clinics,” rejoiced Minister Dimba Pierre, confident that Ivorians will have access to quality health care at a lower cost.
For his part, Minister Adama Coulibaly indicated that this framework agreement constitutes a step taken in the implementation of the recommendations of the States General of Health Insurance. Notwithstanding, the efforts made so far, according to him, must be maintained in order to ensure stronger growth in the health sector, the rate of which is estimated at only 10% over the past ten years. He also seized this forum offered to him to draw the attention of the actors of the health insurance sector to the grievances of the populations, relating among other things to the high cost of it and the accessibility of the care offer. Minister Adama Coulibaly also invited the signatories to a strict and rigorous application of the clauses of the agreement, in order to avoid in the future unfortunate decisions such as the suspension of insurance in private clinics. He ended his remarks by assuring the support of his department in the implementation of this agreement which provides a permanent framework for consultation.
Speaking in turn, Mamadou GK Koné, President of ASA-CI, stressed that this agreement is presented as a solution to avoid discord between the two associations. “I would like to make a commitment to the ministers that the insurance sector will play its part in the implementation of this agreement and will ensure that private clinics and us can work in symbiosis to offer populations a service of quality in terms of health insurance coverage,” he promised.
As far as he is concerned, Dr Boguifo Joseph, President of the ACP-CI, noted that his association has been committed, for several years, to fully playing its role alongside the Ministry of Health to promote access in the care of the people. “This commitment justifies the good collaboration with the ASA-CI for the implementation of a third-party payment system which promotes easy access to care for the populations. We will ensure that private clinics respect their commitments and support the government in its health policy, so that our health system gains notoriety”, reassured the President of the ACP-CI.
This agreement, newly signed between these two actors of the Ivorian health ecosystem, is part of the implementation of the recommendations resulting from the States General of Health Insurance organized by the ASA-CI from November 16 to 19. 2021 in Abidjan. Thus, it has the advantage of formalizing the general principles that should govern relations between insurance companies and private clinics. A major step forward in the process of optimizing the health insurance system in Côte d’Ivoire, whose health branch represents 30% of the portfolios of insurance companies. Note that this new agreement will come into force in the coming months.
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