Ivory coast has a landmark in its public health policy, with 20 million citizens now enrolled in the country’s Universal Health Coverage (CMU) scheme, the National Universal Health Fund (CNAM) confirmed this month.
The achievement marks a pivotal step towards the government’s ambition of delivering healthcare access to all Ivorians, supported by the Ministry of Employment and Social Protection and a growing network of health providers nationwide.
The CMU initiative, designed to extend affordable medical services across all population segments, has seen rapid expansion under CNAM, the body tasked with managing and regulating the system. CNAM Director General Bamba Karim credited the milestone to sustained government backing, notably from President Alassane Ouattara, and the field engagement of Employment and Social Protection Minister Adama Kamara.
“I think it is important for us, CNAM, to express our thanks to all these actors, but in particular, (…) to the Minister of Employment and Social Protection, Maître Adama Kamara, because (…) his role was impactful in the implementation of universal health coverage. We had many supervisory ministries, but his role was impactful because he did not just give us guidelines, but he went out into the field with us on a daily basis,” Karim stated.
Enrollment growth has been driven by increased technical and human resources, including a rise in staff from 400 to over 4,000 and the deployment of 40 mobile registration trucks, 15 of which are operational, to bring services directly to communities. Registration has also been streamlined through on-site card issuance, allowing citizens to receive their CMU card in under 10 minutes — a change Karim said fostered trust and enthusiasm.
The government has introduced measures to boost uptake, including a temporary waiver on contributions for informal sector workers, benefitting 13 million people and amounting to nearly 8.7 billion CFA francs in state-supported care. Patients enrolled in the CMU currently receive consultations, surgeries, hospitalizations, laboratory tests, imaging, dental care, and essential medications, with 70% of costs covered by the fund.
With coverage extending to 3,200 of the nation’s 3,500 public health centers and plans to integrate private facilities, Côte d’Ivoire is positioning itself as a regional leader in universal health coverage. CNAM aims to enroll the remaining 10 million citizens to achieve 100% coverage, supported by a biometric digital platform to monitor service delivery and card distribution.
“This figure is more than a statistical indicator. It reflects massive support from the population and renewed confidence in the state’s social policies,” Karim said, calling for continued improvements to ensure healthcare services match the scale of enrollment.
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