Investments for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) are keys to strengthening Madagascar’s Human Capital and contributing to the country’s resilience and emergence. Strengthening financial protection in health is thus a contribution to economic growth and poverty reduction.
In recent years, the Government of Madagascar has made ambitious commitments to UHC. In 2015, it adopted the National Strategy on Universal Health Coverage (SN-CSU). In 2018, a roadmap for the operationalization of UHC in Madagascar was developed. In 2019, the National Social Protection Strategy adopted the target of 70% of non-poor households benefiting from health coverage in 2023.
In addition, Universal Health Coverage is one of the commitments of the Madagascar Emergence Plan 2019-2023. Finally, the National Health Financing Strategy (SNFS) has clarified the vision and overall objective of UHC in Madagascar in these terms: “By 2030, reduce the financial barrier to access to quality care services, fair to the entire population with a distribution of financial risks between actors and through efficient, effective and transparent management”.
Different financial protection mechanisms are currently implemented, but in a fragmented way with low population coverage. In addition, although different technical options are being considered for the extension of financial protection, operationalization in Madagascar has yet to materialize. In this context, the Technical and Financial Partners wish to coordinate and stand alongside the Government to share the lessons of the experiences already carried out in terms of financial protection in Madagascar and abroad.
It is in this context that the Ministry of Public Health through CACSU supported by technical and financial partners represented by the ILO, WHO, UNICEF and the World Bank organized this technical forum to:
(i) discuss experiences and pilot projects being implemented on the financial protection of health users in Madagascar,
(ii) draw the main technical lessons in terms of the feasibility, preconditions and impact of these financial protection mechanisms,
(iii) share international experiences to extend financial protection towards Universal Health Coverage,
(iv) coordinate stakeholder interventions according to the financial protection technical work plan.
In her speech at the opening of the forum, the Secretary General for Public Health underlined that Universal Health Coverage is a global public health policy which aims to improve access to healthcare for the population, without she has financial difficulties. This fits perfectly with the mission of the Ministry of Public Health, aimed at the realization of Velirano 5 of the Madagascar Emergence Program: “Health for all and at all ages”.
In addition, it is a global objective among the SDGs to be achieved by 2030, with the United Nations System to which Madagascar is committed. The Abidjan Declaration adopted by Africa in 2019 to which Madagascar subscribed also emphasizes social protection for all. Leaving no one behind is the ultimate goal./.
Sources: CACSU of the Malagasy Ministry of Public Health through CACSU, TFPs represented by the ILO, WHO, UNICEF and the World Bank for MADAGATE
Photos: Andry Rakotonirainy and Harilala Randrianarison