SOCIEUX+ is working for universal health coverage in Togo

Since 1998, Togo has conceived of equitable and fair access to health services as the basis for its health policy. The political will to achieve universal access is affirmed by the country’s adherence to international conventions on universal coverage, such as the Ouagadougou Declaration, the Abuja Declaration, the Maputo Plan, etc.

Currently, there are initiatives in the African country that take into account the concept of universal coverage, especially in the fight against AIDS and malaria, but a global strategy for universal access to quality health services has not yet been implemented. That said, as part of its social protection policy, the Government of Togo established a compulsory health insurance scheme for civil servants in 2011, managed by the National Institute of Medical Assistance (NIMA). This plan is considered the first phase of a process that is focused on achieving universal health coverage.

SOCIEUX+ has started a new round of technical assistance in partnership with NIMA. A previous phase included strategic planning and disease risk management. The overall objective of the current phase is to assist with the consolidation of the Institute’s internal capacities, focusing on its role as the regulator of the new health system.

SOCIEUX+’s support is centred on several activities involving mobilising European public sector experts with the aim of developing internal capacities. This is why the presentation of cases, practical activities, and training workshops are numbered amongst this type of activities in order to achieve this objective.

This first activity aims to develop NIMA’s internal capacity to contract and manage agreements with health service providers.