A new campaign aimed at increasing the number of subscribers to the Community Health-Based Health Insurance commonly known as Mutuelle de Sante was launched on Friday. The campaign is a timely initiative, and should be supported by stakeholders at all levels to achieve the subscription target of 100%. Although subscription is currently at 84%, a lot more has to be done if the target is to be achieved. Every Rwandan should have health insurance, especially those with limited means. Indeed, Mutuelle de Sante was designed to serve the majority of citizens to access health care at the most affordable rate. Mutuelle premiums are paid depending on household’s Ubudehe category (social stratification), and people from households in category one are considered indigents and their fees are paid by the government. However, the success of this campaign will depend on the approach. If it is not done in an innovative way, the results at the end of the campaign might not be good. Organisers of this campaign should be innovative and also enlist the help of opinion leaders and role models in society. For example, the use of road shows and celebrities to pass on the message is more effective than the conventional approach of government bureaucrats moving from district to district talking to people. People tend to embrace the message more, when it’s their role model appealing to them. Therefore, the success of the campaign will be partly determined by innovative ways when rolling out the campaign. Also, districts which are trailing should pick a leaf from those doing well. What is it that other districts are doing right and others are not? These are some of the issues that should be addressed during the campaign. Despite being the cheapest and inclusive medical insurance, the scheme has in past faced several challenges. After the campaign we should not again encounter the same problems.
