PÔ, NAHOURI — On Wednesday, August 28, 2024, the Youth Association for the Promotion of Orphans (AJPO) hosted a community meeting in Pô, Nahouri Province, to enhance understanding and support for the Universal Health Insurance Scheme (RAMU). The event was part of a broader effort to ensure effective healthcare access for all residents, particularly pregnant women and children under five.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the Secretary General of Nahouri Province who chaired the meeting, the gathering aimed to engage local opinion leaders in the implementation of RAMU. This initiative falls under a government measure supported by the Permanent Secretariat of Non-Governmental Organizations (SPONG) in partnership with UNICEF, which provides free care to pregnant women and children under five at health centers.

The meeting's agenda included a detailed presentation by Eugène Bakouan, the project manager at SPONG, on community monitoring and RAMU. The presentation underscored the importance of civil society's role in monitoring and facilitating access to health services, a crucial component for achieving universal health coverage.

The thirty participants, comprising community leaders and health stakeholders, committed to mobilizing their communities for the successful implementation of RAMU in the health district of Pô. They pledged to act as relays to the population, promoting a shift in mentality towards widespread acceptance and support for the health insurance system.

The SPONG program manager expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting, noting the participants' strong commitment to advocating for and supporting RAMU. The initiative is seen as a vital step toward ensuring that all members of the community receive the health care they need, without financial hardship.

The meeting was made possible through the support of SPONG and its partnership with UNICEF, highlighting the collaborative efforts to improve health outcomes in the region.