Dr Fondoh Richard Mbarika, Administrator of the North West Fund for Health Promotion, revisits the evolution of mutual health schemes in the region in the past 11 years.

What inspired the inception of Mutual Health Organisations in the North West Region?

Mutual health organisations are easily traced to Germany, the mother of the initiative. That easily explains why it is the German International Cooperation (GIZ) that introduced the idea in the North West Region. The outfit, which is now promoted by the North West Regional Fund for Health Promotion, is all about sustainable health care. It was conceived to improve financial access to health care by promoting solidarity actions. It has to do with the healthy contributing towards the health care of the poor and sick.

What is the nature and extent of the scheme?

The Regional Fund for Health Promotion (PIG) and the Catholic Church are the two main promoters of mutual health initiatives in the North West Region for now. Away from the Catholic initiative called BEPHA, our own initiative has inspired the operation of the pioneer Kumbo Mutual Health Cooperative, Bamenda Mutual Health Organisation and the Boyo Mutual Health Organisation.  Our strategic plan envisages three more by the year 2017 and our ambition is to ensure that the entire North West is covered by 2019. The concept has taken firm roots in health districts already covered by the scheme. It handles bills of up to 75 per cent for members who contribute as little as FCFA 5,000 annually.

How would you size up performance so far?

Beneficiaries tell of the goodness of the scheme which excels as a comprehensive insurance for quality health care at low cost. The inception of the scheme has also improved governance in the health sector because it   promotes and encourages best practices in the administration of drugs.  Quality, low-cost services offered by the scheme to partner health facilities has helped to reduce clandestine and fraudulent practices by staff in some health institutions.