Creation of social coverage for the poorest communities in Accra, Ghana 

In Ghana, the need for social coverage in the event of illness has been incorporated into the government’s anti-poverty plan. If someone falls ill in a family from a modest background, it systematically means a loss of income and therefore an increase in precariousness.

The mission of the Initiative Développement Ghana (ID-Ghana), associated with Entrepreneurs du Monde since 2005, is to create a financial, entrepreneurial and social development dynamic in the most disadvantaged communities in Accra. By offering them economic opportunities, especially through access to micro-credit, ID-Ghana encourages the poorest communities in the city of Accra to also subscribe to a social coverage plan.

The association provides its beneficiaries with personalized and pedagogic support based on a relationship of trust. However, the concepts of “insurance” and “prevention” are not always part of local mindsets. Hence the creation of a program to encourage subscribing to health insurance, spread out over three years, in order to make the populations understand the usefulness and necessity of being insured. ID-Ghana absorbs part of the cost of this health insurance, decreasing its participation over three years. The costs are therefore reduced for the population at the start of the program, leaving them the time to realize the interest in being insured. As their medical care is 100% reimbursed and the cost of their health insurance is very low, the disadvantaged populations can therefore gradually become aware of and have access to social coverage. They can also attend information sessions on many other subjects: malaria, drugs, family planning, conjugal violence, alcohol…

At the end of 2009, 1,000 families benefited from the support program for subscribing to health insurance. At the end of 2010, 4,000 families will have benefited from it. The support of the Air Liquide Foundation will permit the association to help an additional 1,300 people.