The Minister of Public Health Manaouda Malachie says the first phase of the Universal Health Coverage policy will be implemented next year,with pregnant women nursing mothers and children under 5 being the beneficiaries.
He made the announcement during a meeting which brought together Members of the parliamentary network of insurance,financial and monetary institutions, who announced that the universal Healthcare coverage will be furnished by the rich in favor of the poor.
This move comes shortly after some patients especially pregnant women were detained in hospitals,due to non-payment of hospital bills.
“There is an urgent need for universal health care in Cameroon to assist those who can’t afford their bills,in several government hospitals you find patients detained for non- payment of this bills.If this is fully implemented,it will go a long way to assist patience.”Dr Nyang Divine a doctor in a government hospital told African Stringers.
During the meeting, Members of the parliamentary network of insurance financial and monetary institutions,and some personnel from the Ministry of Public Health,assured Cameroonians they are formulating recommendations for an action plan for the advancement of the project while proposing that a percentage be deducted from salaries to help furnish the universal health care.
Benefits of Universal Health Care policy.
According to members of the parliamentary network of insurance financial and monetary institutions,the universal health care will give each legal citizen of a country the ability to access health care,regardless of their ability to pay.Under the health care system,health practitioner’s will be able to provide the same level of care to every legal citizen.
In Cameroon,several patients are usually unable to access physicians and preventative medecine due to their inability to pay,but under the universal health care,all citizens will have access to primary care to phycians and preventative medecine,often nipping future emertgencies in the bud.