Time to abandon amateurism and volunteerism: addressing tensions between the Alma-Ata principle of community participation and the effectiveness of community-based health insurance in Africa

Trust in the integrity of a micro health insurance scheme and its determinants in two rural districts of Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Mistrust in community-based health insurance schemes is a significant deterrent to enrollment and renewal decisions. Despite its significance, there is little evidence on the level of community trust in such schemes. This study examined the level of trust in the integrity of a community-based health insurance scheme and its determinants in two rural districts of northeast Ethiopia.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out on 1,232 randomly selected rural households who had been registered in a community-based health insurance scheme. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews using an electronic data collection platform. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed using the partial proportional odds model to examine predictors of trust. The degree of association was assessed using odds ratios, and statistical significance was determined at a 95% confidence interval.

RESULTS

The mean score of the five trust dimensions was 5.86 on a scale of 0-10, ranging from 5.06 to 7.65. In the multivariable regression analysis, age (AOR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.10, 2.29), female gender (AOR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.29, 3.25), education (AOR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.80), insurance membership status (AOR = 2.68; 95% CI: 1.89, 3.80), membership duration (AOR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.19, 1.92), value for solidarity (AOR = 1.71; 95% CI: 1.20, 2.45), perceived risk protection (AOR = 3.35; 95% CI: 2.27, 4.96), and perceived quality of care (AOR = 1.78; 95% CI: 1.34, 2.37) were positive predictors of trust in the integrity of the scheme, while wealth index (AOR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.23, 0.47), and hospitalization history (AOR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.82) were negative predictors of trust.

CONCLUSIONS

Trust in the integrity of the scheme received mediocre scores, with some trust dimensions having lower ratings, indicating specific areas of focus to be considered in trust-building. Scheme administrators and health authorities need to devise strategies to improve people's understanding of the basic principles of health insurance and promote access to high-quality care while minimizing expenditures at the point of receiving care.

Changing power narratives: an exemplar case study on the professionalisation of community health workers in Liberia

Despite their central role in achieving health equity and Universal Health Coverage, only a minority of community health workers (CHWs) is formally recognised as health workforce and receives a salary. Community health policies are formed within the power dynamics of global health practice. We argue that critical investigations of the power dynamics that influence the design of CHW programmes can contribute system-level insights to strengthen their roles.We present a national-level case study of the Liberian Community Health Assistant programme as an exemplar case of successfully introducing a nationwide CHW policy that professionalises CHWs. Using a theory of how power is exercised (Steven Lukes) for our analysis, we argue that Liberia's success in overcoming external funder push-back on the payment of CHWs was enabled by strong political commitment and (re-)claiming government authority in and outside of decision-making processes. Consensus-building across government departments strengthened the government's decision-making power. The availability and strategic use of suitable and contextualised evidence focused on the rights of CHWs allowed for proactive engagement with external funders' concerns. To draw on learnings from the experience of Liberia, we recommend looking beyond the common effectiveness-oriented narratives in academic literature that focus on CHW's functional role. By focussing on how power is exerted through policy negotiations around professionalisation, it could be possible to reframe conventional approaches to the role of CHW in other contexts as well.

Scaling Up Departmental Health Insurance Units in Senegal: A Mixed-Method Study

In response to the failure of community-based health insurance (CBHI) at the municipal level, some African countries are implementing district or departmental CBHIs to improve universal health coverage. After creating two CBHIs at the departmental level in 2014, Senegal launched a campaign to disseminate the model in 2022. This article presents the stakeholders' perspectives on the factors and challenges of scaling up CBHI departmentalization in Senegal. The study uses a mixed-methods approach, utilizing concept mapping and a focus group to examine scaling up departmentalization. The sample size consists of 22 individuals involved in the process. The quantitative analysis includes hierarchical cluster analysis, multidimensional scaling analysis, and the Pearson coefficient test. The qualitative analysis involves content analysis to triangulate the findings. Participants identified 125 factors to consider for the departmentalization of CBHI. They were categorized into nine clusters according to their degree of importance (I) and ease to organize (F): service package (I: 4.07; F: 2,26), communication (I: 4.05; F: 2.96), governance (I: 3.96; F: 2,94), human and logistical resources (I: 3.94; F: 2,82), financing (I: 3.90; F: 2,31), involvement of the authorities (I: 3.82; F: 2.75), community involvement (I: 3.81; F: 2.76), membership (I: 3.70; F: 2.24, strategic planning and implementation (I: 3.57; F: 2,62). The main challenges faced were a process perceived as precipitous and vertical and needing more negotiation and consultation. The conditions for accompaniment and public funding availability need to be sufficiently considered. The study proposes avenues for action to promote the scaling up of CBHI departmentalization in Senegal.

Value for solidarity: a proxy for community understanding and acceptance of the basic principles of community-based health insurance in rural Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Solidarity is an aspect of human association that gives emphasis to the cohesive social bond that holds a group together and is valued and understood by all members of the group. A lack of understanding of the solidarity principle is one of the main reasons for low population coverage in microhealth insurance schemes. This study aimed to examine the extent to which people value solidarity and the factors that explain the differences.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in two districts of northeast Ethiopia among 1232 randomly selected households which have ever been registered in a community-based health insurance scheme. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with household heads using a standardized questionnaire deployed to an electronic data collection platform. Solidarity was measured using three dimensions: income solidarity, risk solidarity, and cost coverage. Principal component analysis was used to construct composite variables, and the reliability of the tools was checked using Cronbach's alpha. A multivariable analysis was performed using the partial proportional odds model to determine the associations between variables. The degree of association was assessed using the odds ratio, and statistical significance was determined at 95% confidence interval.

RESULTS

Three-quarters (75%) of the respondents rated risk solidarity as high, while 70% and 63% rated income solidarity and cost coverage as high, respectively. Place of residence (AOR = 2.23; 95% CI: 1.68, 2.94), wealth index (AOR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.07, 2.12), self-rated health status (AOR = 1.64; 95% CI: 1.12, 2.40), trust in insurance schemes (AOR = 1.68; 95% CI: 1.22, 2.30), perceived quality of care (AOR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.33, 2.31) and frequency of outpatient visits (AOR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.30, 3.24) were significant predictors of value for solidarity.

CONCLUSIONS

The community placed greater value for solidarity, indicating community understanding and acceptance of the core principles of microhealth insurance. Administrators of the insurance scheme, health authorities, and other actors should strive to create a transparent management system and improve access to high-quality health care, which will facilitate community acceptance of the insurance scheme and its guiding principles.

Improving healthcare accessibility for pregnant women and children in the context of health system strengthening initiatives and terrorist attacks in Central Mali: a controlled interrupted time series analysis

INTRODUCTION

The Health and Social Development Program of the Mopti Region (PADSS2) project, launched in Mali's Mopti region, targeted Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The project addressed demand-side barriers by offering an additional subsidy to household contributions, complementing existing State support (component 1). Component 2 focused on supply-side improvements, enhancing quality and coverage. Component 3 strengthened central and decentralised capacity for planning, supervision and UHC reflection, integrating gender mainstreaming. The study assessed the impact of the project on maternal and child healthcare use and explored how rising terrorist activities might affect these health outcomes.

METHODS

The impact of the intervention on assisted births, prenatal care and curative consultations for children under 5 was analysed from January 2016 to December 2021. This was done using an interrupted time series analysis, incorporating a comparison group and spline regression.

RESULTS

C1 increased assisted deliveries by 0.39% (95% CI 0.20 to 0.58] and C2 by 1.52% (95% CI 1.36 to 1.68). C1-enhanced first and fourth antenatal visits by 1.37% (95% CI 1.28 to 1.47) and 2.07% (95% CI 1.86 to 2.28), respectively, while C2 decreased them by 0.53% and 1.16% (95% CI -1.34 to -0.99). For child visits under 5, C1 and C2 showed increases of 0.32% (95% CI 0.20 to 0.43) and 1.36% (95% CI 1.27 to 1.46), respectively. In areas with terrorist attacks, child visits decreased significantly by 24.69% to 39.86% compared with unexposed areas.

CONCLUSION

The intervention had a limited impact on maternal and child health, falling short of expectations for a health system initiative. Understanding the varied effects of terrorism on healthcare is key to devising strategies that protect the most vulnerable in the system.

External influences over Senegalese health financing policy: delaying universal health coverage?

Senegal has long sought solutions to achieve universal health coverage (UHC). However, in a context dependent on international aid, the country faces multiple external pressures to choose policy instruments. In this commentary, we propose an analysis of this influence. The empirical material comes from our involvement in analysing health reforms for 20 years and from many interviews and observations. While studies have shown that community-based health insurance (CBHI) was not an appropriate solution for UHC, some international actors have influenced their continued application. Another global partner proposed an alternative (professional and departmental CBHI), which was counteracted and delayed. These issues of powers and influences of international and national consultants, established in a neo-liberal approach to health, have lost at least a decade from UHC in Senegal. The alternative now appears to be acquired and is scaling up at the country level, witnessing a change in the current policy paradigm.

Design Research to Embed mHealth into a Community-Led Blood Pressure Management System in Uganda: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

BACKGROUND

Uncontrolled hypertension is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. In Uganda, such diseases account for approximately 10% of all deaths, with 1 in 5 adults having hypertension (>90% of the hypertensive cases are uncontrolled). Although basic health care in the country is available free of cost at government facilities, regularly accessing medication to control hypertension is difficult because supply chain challenges impede availability. Clients therefore frequently suspend treatment or buy medication individually at private facilities or pharmacies (incurring significant costs). In recent years, mobile health (mHealth) interventions have shown increasing potential in addressing health system challenges in sub-Saharan Africa, but the acceptability, feasibility, and uptake conditions of mobile money approaches to chronic disease management remain understudied.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to design and pilot-test a mobile money-based intervention to increase the availability of antihypertensive medication and lower clients' out-of-pocket payments. We will build on existing local approaches and assess the acceptability, feasibility, and uptake of the designed intervention. Furthermore, rather than entering the study setting with a ready-made intervention, this research will place emphasis on gathering applied ethnographic insights early, which can then inform the parameters of the intervention prototype and concurrent trial.

METHODS

We will conduct a mixed methods study following a human-centered design approach. We will begin by conducting extensive qualitative research with a range of stakeholders (clients; health care providers; religious, cultural, and community leaders; academics; and policy makers at district and national levels) on their perceptions of hypertension management, money-saving systems, and mobile money in the context of health care. Our results will inform the design, iterative adaptation, and implementation of an mHealth-facilitated pooled financing intervention prototype. At study conclusion, the finalized prototype will be evaluated quantitatively via a randomized controlled trial.

RESULTS

As of August 2023, qualitative data collection, which started in November 2022, is ongoing, with data analysis of the first qualitative interviews underway to inform platform and implementation design. Recruitment for the quantitative part of this study began in August 2023.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results aim to inform the ongoing discourse on novel and sustainable pathways to facilitate access to medication for the management of hypertension in resource-constrained settings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

German registry of clinical trials DRKS00030922; https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00030922.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/46614.

Mandatory membership of community-based mutual health insurance in Senegal: A national survey

With the low adherence to voluntary mutual health insurance, Senegal's policymakers have sought to understand the feasibility of compulsory health insurance membership. This study aims to measure the acceptability of mandatory membership in community-based mutual health insurance (CBHI) and to understand its possible administrative modalities. The study consists of a national survey among a representative population sample selected by marginal quotas. The survey was conducted in 2022 over the phone, with a random composition method involving 914 people. The questionnaire measured the socio-economic characteristics of households, their level of acceptability concerning voluntary and compulsory membership, and their level of confidence in CBHIs and the health system. Respondents preferred voluntary (86%) over mandatory (70%) membership of a CBHI. The gap between voluntary and compulsory membership scores was smaller among women (p = 0.040), people under 35 (p = 0.033), and people with no health coverage (p = 0.011). Voluntary or compulsory membership was correlated (p = 0.000) to trust in current CBHIs and health systems. Lack of trust in the CBHI management has been more disadvantageous for acceptance of the mandatory than the voluntary membership. No particular preference emerged as the preferred administrative channel (e.g. death certificate, identity card, etc.) to enforce the mandatory option. The results confirmed the well-known challenges of building universal health coverage based on CBHIs-a poorly appreciated model whose low performance reduces the acceptability of populations to adhere to it, whether voluntary or mandatory. Suppose Senegal persists in its health insurance approach. In that case, it will be essential to strengthen the performance and funding of CBHIs, and to gain population trust to enable a mandatory or more systemic membership.

Impact of community-based health insurance on healthcare utilisation and out-of-pocket expenditures for the poor in Senegal

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to assess the impact of the subsidised community health insurance scheme in Senegal particularly on the poor.

DESIGN AND SETTING

The study used data from a household survey conducted in 2019 in three regions, representing 29.3% of the total population. Inverse probability of treatment weighting approach was applied for the analysis.

PARTICIPANTS

1766 households with 15 584 individuals selected through a stratified random sampling with two draws.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The impact of community-based health insurance (CBHI) was evaluated on poor people's access to care and on their financial protection. For the measurement of access to care, we were interested in the use of health services and non-withdrawal from care in case of illness. To assess financial protection, we looked at out-of-pocket expenditure by type of provider and by type of service, the weight of out-of-pocket expenditure on household income, non-exposure to impoverishing health expenditure and non-exposure to catastrophic health expenditure.

RESULTS

The results indicate that the CBHI increases primary healthcare utilisation for non-poor (OR 1.36 (CI90 1.02-1.8) for the general scheme and 1.37 (CI90 1.06-1.77) for the special scheme for indigent recipients of social cash transfers), protect them against catastrophic (OR 1.63 (CI90 1.12-2.39)) or impoverishing (OR 2.4 (CI90 1.27-4.5)) health expenditures. However, CBHI has no impact on the poor's healthcare utilisation (OR 0.61 (CI90 0.4-0.94)) and do not protect them from the burden related to healthcare expenditures (OR: 0.27 (CI90 0.13-0.54)).

CONCLUSION

Our study found that CBHI has an impact on the non-poor but does not sufficiently protect the poor. This leads us to conclude that a health insurance programme designed for the general population may not be appropriate for the poor. A qualitative study should be conducted to better understand the non-financial barriers to accessing care that may disproportionately affect the poorest.

Effects of a free health insurance programme for the poor on health service utilisation and financial protection in Senegal

INTRODUCTION

Implemented in 2013 in Senegal, the Programme National de Bourses de Sécurité Familiale (PNBSF) is a national cash transfer programme for poor households. Besides reducing household poverty and encouraging children's school attendance, an objective of the PNBSF is to expand health coverage by guaranteeing free enrolment in community-based health insurance (CBHI) schemes. In this paper, we provide the first assessment of the PNBSF free health insurance programme on health service utilisation and health-related financial protection.

METHODS

We collected household-level and individual-level cross-sectional data on health insurance in 2019-2020 within the Niakhar Population Observatory in rural Senegal. We conducted a series of descriptive analyses to fully describe the application of the PNBSF programme in terms of health coverage. We then used multivariate logistic and Poisson regression models within an inverse probability weighting framework to estimate the effect of being registered in a CBHI through the PNBSF-as compared with having no health insurance or having voluntarily enrolled in a CBHI scheme-on a series of outcomes.

RESULTS

With the exception of health facility deliveries, which were favoured by free health insurance, the PNBSF did not reduce the unmet need for healthcare or the health-related financial risk. It did not increase individuals' health service utilisation in case of health problems, did not increase the number of antenatal care visits and did not protect households against the risk of forgoing medical care and of catastrophic health expenditure.

CONCLUSION

We found limited effects of the PNBSF free health insurance on health service utilisation and health-related financial protection, although these failures were not necessarily due to the provision of free health insurance per se. Our results point to both implementation failures and limited programme outcomes. Greater commitment from the state is needed, particularly through strategies to reduce barriers to accessing covered healthcare.

The resilience of two departmental health insurance units during the COVID-19 pandemic in Senegal

BACKGROUND

In its pursuit of solutions for universal health coverage (UHC), Senegal has set up two departmental health insurance units (UDAMs) since 2014. Few studies on the resilience of health systems in Africa have examined health insurance organisations. This article aims to understand how these two UDAMs have been resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictive measures imposed by the State to maintain services to their members and reimbursements to healthcare providers.

METHODS

This study was a multicase study with multiple levels of analysis using a conceptual framework of resilience and analysis of organisational configurations. Empirical data are derived from document analysis, observations for 6 months and 17 qualitative in-depth interviews.

RESULTS

The results identified three main configurations concerning (1) safety and hygiene, (2) organisation and planning and (3) communication for sustainable payment. The UDAM faced the pandemic with resilience processes to absorb the shock and maintain service to their members. The UDAM learnt positive lessons from crisis management, such as remote work or the ability to support members in their care in hospitals away from their headquarters. They have innovated (transformative resilience) with the organisation of electronic payment and the use of social networks to raise funds and communicate with members. Strengthening their effectiveness after the shock of the departure of the donors in 2017 contributed to the adaptation and even transformation from the pandemic shock of 2020 and 2021. The study shows that leadership, team dynamics and adaptation to contexts are drivers of resilience processes.

CONCLUSION

Both UDAMs adapted to the shocks of the pandemic and government measures to maintain the services of their members and their organisational routine. This resilience confirms that UDAMs are one of the possible solutions for UHC in the Sahel.

A mixed methods study of community-based health insurance enrollment trends and underlying challenges in two districts of northeast Ethiopia: A proxy for its sustainability

Background

The term "community-based health insurance" refers to a broad range of nonprofit, prepaid health financing models designed to meet the health financing needs of disadvantaged populations, particularly those in the rural and informal sectors. Due to their voluntary nature, such initiatives suffer from persistently low coverage in low- and middle-income countries. In Ethiopia, the schemes’ membership growth has not been well investigated so far. This study sought to examine the scheme’s enrollment trend over a five-year period, and to explore the various challenges that underpin membership growth from the perspectives of various key stakeholders.

Methods

The study employed a mixed methods case study in two purposively selected districts of northeast Ethiopia: Tehulederie and Kallu. By reviewing the databases of health insurance schemes, quantitative data were collected retrospectively from 2017 to 2021 to examine enrollment trends. Trends for each performance indicator were analyzed descriptively for the period under study. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with nine community members and 19 key informants. Study participants were purposely selected using the maximum variation technique. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English. Thematic analysis was employed with both deductive and inductive coding approaches.

Results

Over the course of the study period, enrollment in the scheme at both districts exhibited non-linear trends with both positive and negative growth rates being identified. Overall, the scheme in Tehulederie has a relatively higher population coverage and better membership retention, which could be due to the strong foundation laid by a rigorous public awareness campaign and technical support during the pilot phase. The challenges contributing to the observed level of performance have been summarized under four main themes that include quality of health care, claims reimbursement for insurance holders, governance practices, and community awareness and acceptability.

Conclusions

The scheme experienced negative growth ratios in both districts, indicating that it is not functionally viable. It will fail to meet its mission unless relevant stakeholders at all levels of government demonstrate political will and commitment to its implementation, as well as advocate for the community. Interventions should target on the highlighted challenges in order to boost membership growth and ensure the scheme’s viability.

Financial viability of a community-based health insurance scheme in two districts of northeast Ethiopia: a mixed methods study

BACKGROUND

Community-based health insurance initiatives in low- and middle-income countries encountered a number of sustainability challenges due to their voluntary nature, small risk pools, and low revenue. In Ethiopia, the schemes' financial viability has not been well investigated so far. This study examined the scheme's financial viability and explored underlying challenges from the perspectives of various key stakeholders.

METHODS

This study employed a mixed methods case study in two purposively selected districts of northeast Ethiopia. By reviewing financial reports of health insurance schemes, quantitative data were collected over a seven years period from 2014 to 2020 to examine trends in financial status. Trends for each financial indicator were analyzed descriptively for the period under review. Interviews were conducted face-to-face with nine community members and 19 key informants. We used the maximum variation technique to select the study participants. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English. Thematic analysis was applied with both inductive and deductive coding methods.

RESULTS

Both schemes experienced excess claims costs and negative net income in almost all the study period. Even after government subsidies, the scheme's net income remained negative for some reporting periods. The challenges contributing to the observed level of financial performance have been summarized under five main themes, which include adverse selection, moral hazard behaviors, stockout of medicines, delays in claims settlement for service providers, and low insurance premiums.

CONCLUSIONS

The health insurance scheme in both districts spent more than it received for claims settlement in almost all the period under the study, and experienced heavy losses in these periods, implying that it is not financially viable for the period in question. The scheme is also unable to fulfill its purpose of protecting members against out-of-pocket expenses at the point of health care. Interventions should target on the highlighted challenges to restore financial balance and enhance the scheme's viability.

Towards universal health coverage: The level and determinants of enrollment in the Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI) scheme in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Community-based health insurance (CBHI) is a risk-pooling approach that tries to disperse health expenditures across families with varying health profiles to provide greater access to healthcare services by allowing cross-subsidies from wealthy to poor populations. It is crucial to assess the level of CBHI enrolment and its determinants in Ethiopia, where government health spending is limited to less than 5% of GDP, far below the Alma Ata Declaration's benchmark of 15%. Although various epidemiological studies on CBHI enrolment status and its determinants have been undertaken in Ethiopia, the results have been inconsistent, with significant variability. However, no nationwide study assessing the pooled estimates exists today. Furthermore, the estimated strength of association at the country level varied and was inconsistent across studies. Hence, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at estimating the pooled prevalence of CBHI enrolment and its determinants in Ethiopia.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of studies was done by using PubMed, EMBASE, Science Direct, HINARI, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. The database search was complemented by google scholar and some repositories for grey literature. The search was carried out from February 11 to March 12, 2022. The relevant data were extracted using a Microsoft Excel 2013 spreadsheet and analyzed using STATATM Version 16. Studies reporting the level and determinants of CBHI enrolment in Ethiopia were considered. A weighted DerSimonian Laired random effect model was applied to estimate the pooled national prevalence of CBHI enrolment. The Cochrane Q test statistics and I2 tests were used to assess the heterogeneity of the included studies. A funnel plot, Begg's and Egger's tests, were used to check for the presence of publication bias.

RESULTS

Fifteen studies were eligible for this systematic review and meta-analysis with a total of 8418 study participants. The overall pooled prevalence of CBHI enrolment in Ethiopia was 45.5% (95% CI: 32.19, 58.50). Affordability of premium for the scheme[OR = 2.58, 95% CI 1.68, 3.47], knowledge of respondents on the CBHI scheme[OR = 4.35, 95% CI 2.69, 6.01], perceived quality of service[OR = 3.21, 95% CI 2.04, 4.38], trust in the scheme[OR = 2.32, 95% CI 1.57, 3.07], and the presence of a person with a chronic disease in the household [OR = 3.58, 95% CI 2.37, 4.78] were all found to influence CBHI enrolment.

CONCLUSION

Community health workers (CHWs) need to make a high effort to improve knowledge of CBHI in rural communities by providing health education. To deal with the issue of affordability, due emphasis should be placed on building local solidarity groups and strengthening local initiatives to aid poor members. Stakeholders in the health service delivery points need to focus on the dimensions of high service quality. The financial gap created by the adverse selection of households with chronically ill members should be rectified by implementing targeted subsidies with robust plans.

Operational and Structural Factors Influencing Enrolment in Community-Based Health Insurance Schemes: An Observational Study Using 12 Waves of Nationwide Panel Data from Senegal

Community-based health insurance (CBHI) has been implemented in many low and middle-income countries to increase financial risk protection in populations without access to formal health insurance. While the design of such social programs is fundamental to ensuring equitable access to care, little is known about the operational and structural factors influencing enrolment in CBHI schemes. In this study, we took advantage of newly established data monitoring requirements in Senegal to explore the association between the operational capacity and structure of CBHI schemes-also termed 'mutual health organisations' (MHO) in francophone countries-and their enrolment levels. The dataset comprised 12 waves of quarterly data over 2017-2019 and covered all 676 MHOs registered in the country. Primary analyses were conducted using dynamic panel data regression analysis. We found that higher operational capacity significantly predicted higher performance: enrolment was positively associated with the presence of a salaried manager at the MHO level (12% more total enrollees, 23% more poor members) and with stronger cooperation between MHOs and local health posts (for each additional contract signed, total enrollees and poor members increased by 7% and 5%, respectively). However, higher operational capacity was only modestly associated with higher sustainability proxied by the proportion of enrollees up to date with premium payment. We also found that structural factors were influential, with MHOs located within a health facility enrolling fewer poor members (-16%). Sensitivity analyses showed that these associations were robust. Our findings suggest that policies aimed at professionalising and reinforcing the operational capacity of MHOs could accelerate the expansion of CBHI coverage, including in the most impoverished populations. However, they also suggest that increasing operational capacity alone may be insufficient to make CBHI schemes sustainable over time.

Universal health insurance in Africa: a narrative review of the literature on institutional models

Introduction

Several African countries have introduced universal health insurance (UHI) programmes. These programmes aim to extend health insurance to groups that are usually excluded, namely informal workers and the indigent. Countries use different approaches. The purpose of this article is to study their institutional characteristics and their contribution to the achievement of universal health coverage (UHC) goals.

Method

This study is a narrative review. It focused on African countries with a UHI programme for at least 4 years. We identified 16 countries. We then compared how these UHI schemes mobilise, pool and use funds to purchase healthcare. Finally, we synthesised how all these aspects contribute to achieving the main objectives of UHC (access to care and financial protection).

Results

Ninety-two studies were selected. They found that government-run health insurance was the dominant model in Africa and that it produced better results than community-based health insurance (CBHI). They also showed that private health insurance was marginal. In a context with a large informal sector and a substantial number of people with low contributory capacity, the review also confirmed the limitations of contribution-based financing and the need to strengthen tax-based financing. It also showed that high fragmentation and voluntary enrolment, which are considered irreconcilable with universal insurance, characterise most UHI systems in Africa.

Conclusion

Public health insurance is more likely to contribute to the achievement of UHC goals than CBHI, as it ensures better management and promotes the pooling of resources on a larger scale.

Community-based health financing: empirical evaluation of the socio-demographic factors determining its uptake in Awka, Anambra state, Nigeria

BACKGROUND

There is an increasing global concern of financing poor people who live in low- and middle-income countries. The burden of non-communicable diseases of these people is, by in large, connected to a lack of access to effective and affordable medical care, weak financing, and delivery of health services. Policymakers have assumed, until recently, that poor people in developing countries would not pay health insurance premiums for the cost of future hospitalization. The emergence of community-based health financing (CBHF) has brought forth a renewed and empowered alternative. CBHF schemes are designed to be sustainable, varying in size, and well organized. Developing countries, such as Nigeria, have been testing and finetuning such schemes in the hope that they may 1 day reciprocate high-income countries.

METHODS

A sample size of 372 respondents was used to assess the slums of Awka, the capital city of Anambra State, Nigeria, and empirically evaluate the socio-demographic characteristics of those who uptake CBHF using the provider Jamii Bora Trust (JBT). Cross-sectional research used a quantitative research approach with the instrumentality of structured questionnaires. Descriptive analysis was adopted to determine the socio-demographic characteristics of those who have CBHF uptake in Awka and evaluate the presence and benefits of CBHF in the city's slums.

RESULTS

The results show that more youth and middle-aged persons from 18 to 50 years are more insured (i.e., 73.8% combined) than those who are over 50 years of age. Gender distribution confirm more females (i.e., 61.9%) to be health-insured than their male counterpart (i.e., 38.1%). This perhaps reflected the reproductive roles by women and the fact that women have better health-seeking behavioral attitude. Moreover, the results correlate with previous studies that confirm women are more involved in local sustainable associations in low-income settings, of this nature, in sub-Saharan Africa. Corroborating this further, married people are more insured (i.e., 73.8%) than those who are not married (i.e., 26.2%) and insured members report higher use of hospitalization care than the non-insured.

CONCLUSION

CBHF uptake favored members in the lower income quintiles who are more likely to use healthcare services covered by the JBT scheme. This confirmed that prepayment schemes and the pooling of risk could reduce financial barriers to healthcare among the urban poor. Recommendations are suggested to improve enrollment levels in the CBHF programs.

The failure of community-based health insurance schemes in Tanzania: opening the black box of the implementation process

BACKGROUND

Globally, there is increased advocacy for community-based health insurance (CBHI) schemes. Like other low and middle-income countries (LMICs), Tanzania officially established the Community Health Fund (CHF) in 2001 for rural areas; and Tiba Kwa Kadi (TIKA) for urban population since 2009. This study investigated the implementation of TIKA scheme in urban districts of Tanzania.

METHODS

A descriptive qualitative case study was conducted in four urban districts in Tanzania in 2019. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and review of documents. A thematic approach was used to analyse the data.

RESULTS

While TIKA scheme was important in increasing access to health services for the poor and other disadvantaged groups, it faced many challenges which hindered its performance. The challenges included frequent stock-out of drugs and medical supplies, which frustrated TIKA members and hence contributed to non-renewal of membership. In addition, the scheme was affected by poor collections and management of the revenue collected from TIKA members, limited benefit packages and low awareness of the community.

CONCLUSIONS

Similar to rural-based Community Health Fund, the TIKA scheme faced structural and operational challenges which subsequently resulted into low uptake of the schemes. In order to achieve universal health coverage, the government should consider integrating or merging Community-Based Health Insurance schemes into a single national pool with decentralised arms to win national support while also maintaining local accountability.

[Mutual insurances in Africa: Issues and perspectives]

From the end of the 1970s, the promotion of the community and the participation of populations in the health system reinforced the idea that mutual health insurance was a potentially major player in the extension of coverage against health risks. But the history of mutuality in Africa was quickly strewn with pitfalls. The structural adjustment plans and the increase in the financial contribution of users under the impetus of the Bamako initiative put a stop to the spirit of community mutual insurances. Today, mutual insurances are once again at the heart of international and national initiatives with the promotion of the (UHC) Universal Health Coverage. But they must overcome their historical shortcomings through professionalization and compulsory membership. This movement seems to be underway, while at the same time facing the challenge of preserving the place of communities in health systems, a founding principle of the mutualist movement.

The emergence of the national medical assistance scheme for the poorest in Mali

Universal health coverage is high up the international agenda. The majority of the West Africa's countries are seeking to define the content of their compulsory, contribution-based medical insurance system. However, very few countries apart from Mali have decided to develop a national policy for poorest population that is not based on contributions. This qualitative research examines the historical process that has permitted the emergence of this public policy. The research shows that the process has been very long, chaotic and suspended for long periods. One of the biggest challenges has been that of intersectoriality and the social construction of the poorest to be targeted by this public policy, as institutional tensions have evolved in accordance with the political issues linked to social protection. Eventually, the medical assistance scheme for the poorest saw the light of day in 2011, funded entirely by the government. Its emergence would appear to be attributable not so much to any new concern for the poorest in society but rather to a desire to give the social protection policy engaged in a guarantee of universality. This policy nonetheless remains an innovation within French-speaking West Africa.