Newsletter Lefaso.net Universal Health Coverage in Burkina: insufficient and poorly distributed human resources, quantity infrastructure but not to standards

Universal health coverage (CSU) is to allow all individuals, to have access to quality health services, everywhere and without suffering financial difficulties.The CSU differs from Universal Health Insurance (AMU) in the sense that the AMU only concerns financial access to health services but does not deal with the availability and quality of services.To achieve the CSU, it is necessary to have a solid health system which meets priority health needs at affordable costs, guarantee access to drugs and essential technologies and above all have adequate infrastructure and sufficient workforcewell -trained and well distributed health personnel.

Simon Kaboré, directeur exécutif régional

Burkina Faso has ratified all the texts concerning the implementation of the CSU, with an emphasis on primary care.According to Dr Pierre Yaméogo, technical secretary of the implementation of the CSU in Burkina, between 2000 and 2019, the CSU experienced a clear increase by passing 19 to 43%.Several actions are also undertaken by the first authorities, to make the CSU a reality.These include the increase in the budget allocated to the field of health estimated at 13.22% in 2022, grant and free care measures for vulnerable people, the increase in the number of agents ofhealth, the creation of specialty centers as well as the transformation of CSPS into medical centers.

Despite the efforts made, several difficulties related to human resources and infrastructure, which are important indicators of the progression of the CSU, are noted on the ground.This is what emerges from a study relating to the bottlenecks of the CSU in Burkina Faso, carried out in 2021 by the train.As for the human resource, it is not only low but also badly left on the national territory.To this end, we note that 50% of nursing and midwives are found in urban areas for 20% of the population.Also, 40% of general practitioners are in the Center region alone for 14% of the population and only 12% of specialist doctors exercise in 09 regional hospital centers, while the other 88% are concentrated in the center and the top regions-Bassins.

Les participants à la conférence

Regarding infrastructure, the study reveals growth in CSPS workforce which has gone from 1.760 in 2016 at 1.948 in 2019, with a GAP of 2,150 CSPS, however, to reach the standard of a CSPS for 5.000 inhabitants.In 2017, there was also 89.2% coverage for women in public maternity.However, the growth in the number of health centers is not proportional to the quality of care.Indeed, the rate of CSPS in standards increased from 93% in 2016 to 87% in 2019.In addition, in 2016, only 7% of the country's CSPS fulfilled minimum staff standards.

For a more efficient implementation of the CSU, Simon Kaboré, Regional Executive Director of the Rowing proposes to place the supervision of the CSU, either at the Prime Ministry or the Presidency of Faso, to develop in a participative and consensual a national multisectoral strategyCSU with the contributions and roles of each sector.He also recommends defining a funding strategy based on state budget allowances, the contribution of partners and innovative funding mechanisms involving the private sector.

As a reminder, the train is an association that has engaged in advocacy for the lifting of barriers that hinder population access to quality health care.He intends to make his contribution in the transition process of Burkina Faso to universal health coverage by 2030.

Armelle Ouédraogo/Yaméogolefaso.net