A network of journalists and Civil Society Organisations operating under their umbrella body, CLADHO, has promised to champion for the reduction in cost of the community health insurance cover, Mutuelle de Sante.

Currently, Mutuelle premiums are hinged on one`s level of income, with the well-to do contributing Rwf 7,000 and low income earners paying Rwf 3,000.

The government chips in to meet the contribution of Rwf 2,000 per annum as cover for the very poor.

However, during a meeting to set up the network’s action plan, members resolved that the most vulnerable cannot afford the insurance cover, thereby putting it top on the agenda.

"In our task, advocacy must be evidence-based on engaging in research to get information from the public in reference to how they are coping with various government programmes,” said Emmanuel Safari, the Executive Secretary of CLADHO.

Other planned activities include assessing the measures taken before expropriations the as well as collating public views on land consolidation or crop intensification programmes, among others.

During the meeting, members agreed to come-up with a channel to enable information sharing as well as identifying ways to solicit funds to facilitate the network to become more effective.

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