Health authorities in Ivory Coast have launched mobile enrollment centers to boost participation in the country’s universal health coverage program, following years of criticism over access and technical failures.
The initiative comes five years after the launch of the Couverture Maladie Universelle (CMU), a government-backed scheme designed to cover 70% of citizens’ healthcare costs for a monthly contribution of 1,000 West African CFA francs (approximately $1.65).
Despite its ambitions, fewer than half of Ivorians have registered since the program began in 2019.
The CMU, one of only a handful of universal health initiatives in West Africa, has faced persistent complaints from enrollees.
Participants report that vouchers issued at hospitals — intended to secure medicine and essential services — are often rejected at pharmacies, forcing patients to pay for treatment themselves.
The breakdown in the supply chain has eroded public trust in the system.
In response, mobile enrollment centers have been deployed across markets, urban neighborhoods, and rural areas to simplify registration.
These units not only sign up individuals and families but also issue membership cards on the spot, enabling new beneficiaries to access care immediately at hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies nationwide.
On a recent Monday in Abidjan, long queues formed outside one such center, as residents lined up to register.
Officials say the mobile approach aims to overcome barriers that have left millions outside the system and to address frustrations over delays in card processing and benefit delivery.
Authorities hope the initiative will accelerate enrollment and restore confidence in the CMU, but critics argue deeper reforms are needed to fix persistent flaws in the voucher and reimbursement system.
For many Ivorians, the program’s credibility will hinge not only on access but also on whether the benefits promised can finally be delivered.
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