Health insurance helps to improve rural economy – mini survey

HUYE - Residents of Tumba and Mukura Sectors in Huye District, believe the health insurance scheme, commonly known as Mutuelle de Sante, has greatly contributed to health in rural areas and economic development, according to a mini survey carried out by The Sunday Times. A number of residents at Rango Health centre, said they currently spend in the range of Rwf300 on medication unlike before when one could spend as much as Rwf20,000 on health bills. The health centre serves Tumba and Mukura sectors.“It is almost free of charge. We invested in commercial farming while others are businessmen because the money we used to spend on families’ medical bills is saved and injected in our daily businesses,” Leoncie Nyirabakunzi, 46, from Mukura Sector said. “Someone could sometimes spend beyond Rwf20 000 on medical bills, few people could afford this.” Césarie Muhayimana, the deputy in charge of Rango Health Centre, said they no longer receive serious cases unlike before, because patients with health insurance seek timely medication. According to Muhayimana, because of financial constraints, people used to stay at home until they felt seriously ill.She added that before the health insurance program was introduced, the centre could receive about 19 patients a day, but statistics have since increased to about 80 patients per day. Adrienne Mukeshimana, an official in charge of health insurance at the centre, said residents pay on time and that even NGOs that sponsor health insurance for poor people clear their bills regularly. The Huye District vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs, Aloysie Nyiransabimana, said 84.7 % of district residents paid health insurance this year. Ends