Title: “The creation of the National Council for Universal Coverage in the DRC: a major step towards social security for all”
Introduction :
The Democratic Republic of the Congo recently took an important step in public health by creating the National Council for Universal Coverage (CNCU). This initiative of the Head of State, Félix Tshisekedi, aims to guarantee access to health care for all citizens. However, questions arise as to the effectiveness and viability of this council. In this article, we will analyze the issues related to universal health coverage in the DRC and propose ways to improve it to ensure its success.
Analysis of the current difficulties of the CNCU:
The CNCU, as it is currently set up, seems to encounter obstacles in the accomplishment of its mission. The resources allocated to this council appear to be insufficient and the technical issues surrounding its creation and operation need to be further examined. Until now, efforts have mainly focused on free births, without taking into account the other health issues to be covered. It is therefore necessary to carry out a comprehensive assessment of these aspects to ensure optimal and efficient coverage for all.
The need for an autonomous health fund:
To achieve the objective of universal health coverage, it is essential to set up an autonomous “health fund”. This fund would be able to provide solid and viable support for the Head of State’s vision. By using the providers and beneficiaries of existing social security funds (CNSS and CNSSAP) as a starting point, this health fund could gradually extend to the entire population, by deducting part of the taxes to guarantee its financial resources.
Fusion of data and resources:
In order to realize this vision, it is necessary to merge technical data on providers and beneficiaries of existing social security funds. This would create an initial database for the institution of the national health fund. This fusion of data and resources would allow a first phase of universal health coverage for active and retired workers of the general and special schemes, as well as for their dependents.
Conclusion :
Universal health coverage is a laudable goal in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, to ensure its effectiveness, it is necessary to rethink the functioning of the National Council for Universal Coverage by setting up an autonomous health fund. By merging the data and resources of existing social security funds, it is possible to progress towards health coverage accessible to all Congolese citizens.