Ouagadougou: The Association for the Promotion of Community Health and Development of the Center-North (APSCD/CN) organized, on Wednesday, August 28, 2024 in Kaya, an information and awareness workshop on the universal health insurance scheme (RAMU) for the benefit of community and health actors in the Kaya health district.This workshop aimed to inform and raise awareness among stakeholders involved in the implementation of the universal health insurance scheme (RAMU) in the Kaya health district. Thus, health workers, members of management committees, village health committees, as well as community and association leaders appropriated the principles of implementing RAMU and the community health monitoring project. Organized by APSCD/CN, this workshop is part of the "community monitoring project to improve access for vulnerable groups and internally displaced persons to health services, health insurance and social protection in Burkina Faso." Its objective, according to focal point Camille Sawadogo, is to "c ontribute to strengthening the knowledge and commitments of communities and stakeholders in health districts involved in RAMU."For Idrissa Gansonré, High Commissioner of the Sanmatenga province, this activity is perfectly aligned with the government's policy, which aims to improve access to quality care for all. The session chair therefore invited the participants, from the opening of the workshop, to listen carefully in order to become relays in their original structures for a successful implementation of RAMU.Under the facilitation of Eugène Bakouan, SPONG Project Manager, the participants, after 24 hours of discussions, said they had learned a lot about the project and RAMU. As community leaders, they now feel better equipped to raise awareness among populations about the operationalization of RAMU in the Kaya health district.As part of the implementation of axis 2 of its 2023-2032 strategic plan, entitled "Promoting citizenship and citizen control of public action by NGOs/ADs/Foundations in Burkina Faso by 2032", the SPONG encouraged participants to actively engage in the "community monitoring project to improve access for vulnerable groups and internally displaced persons to health services, health insurance and social protection in Burkina Faso.» Participants plan to get involved through community monitoring, community mobilization, as well as through advocacy and questioning actions.The RAMU, adopted in Burkina Faso, is intended to be a minimum social security base, contributing to the implementation of health and social protection policies for the Burkinabe. Its objective is to combat vulnerability (particularly poverty) caused by illness by helping to remove financial barriers to access to health care.Source: Burkina Information Agency