Health insurance coverage in Nyamyumba Sector, Rubavu District, in Western Province, has hit a high following efforts by Kigufi Health Centre.

This was revealed during a countrywide tour of health facilities by officials from the Ministry of Health last week.

Augustine Karangwa, the in-charge of community-based health insurance scheme, commonly known as Mutuelle de Santé, said subscription is closing in on the 90 per cent mark. 

"We partner with village, cell and sector leaders to sensitise residents about the importance of subscription,” Karangwa said.

He said every village has three health workers tasked with collecting annual health insurance fees and saving in banks. 

Karangwa said the residents are divided in various categories according to their financial status.

For instance, the first and second categories are catered for by government because they are poor, the third and fourth pay Rwf3,000 per year as they are averagely well off, the fifth and sixth, pay Rwf7,000 per year, but all receive the same service.  

"No one is allowed to employ a person who does not have health insurance, so at times you find cooperatives, firms and organisations working in this area making it priority to pay health insurance for their employees,” he said.

Community workers go around churches every  Sunday to mobilise people  to subscribe for the service.

"Before this system of health insurance was introduced, we used to receive like 10 patients a day, but we get like 50 these days. This means that Mutuelle motivates people to seek healthcare services,” Karangwa said.  

However, there remains a challenge of some people  subscribing for a year and then giving up the following year, especially when no family member of theirs falls sick.

Jean Baraka, the director of Kigufi Health Centre, said some people, especially cross-border traders, avoid subscribing because they are always moving.   

"There was a time three of my children caught malaria, if I had not subscribed for health insurance following advice from the staff  of Kigufi Health centre, I do not think I could have raised fees for medical bills all at once,” said Rose Kampeta, a resident of  Nyamyumba Sector.