By CHUSA SICHONE-
THE Government is in the process of introducing an Edgarcare, a medical scheme similar to the Obamacare in America, which is aimed at ensuring that patients access health services at any health institution without producing cash.
The Edgarcare, whose other name is the National Social Health Insurance Scheme, is in honour of President Edgar Lungu.

. CHILUFYA

Health Deputy Minister Chitalu Chilufya disclosed this when he addressed Patriotic Front (PF) officials, collectively known as PF Generals, during a public discussion at the National Project for Poverty Reduction in Lusaka yesterday.
Dr Chilufya said as part of the National Health Policy component on healthcare financing, the Government was introducing the National Social Health Insurance Scheme (Edgarcare), which is aimed at moving away from donor dependence and avoiding putting pressure on the Treasury in a bid to finance the health sector.
“How do we raise money to finance the health sector? Yes, we have been using the Treasury. Yes, we have been using resources from donors, but we must have a sustainable way of raising money to finance the health sector.
“This is the reason this Government has decided to innovate and come up with the National Social Health Insurance Scheme where all civil servants, all workers will be contributing a minimum amount of money every month,” he said.
Dr Chilufya said through the monthly contributions, patients under the scheme would be able to access health services at any health institution.
Dr Chilufya said the scheme was a very important step in ensuring universal access to health services.
He said out-of-pocket payment at the point of service delivery should be discouraged, hence the need for a scheme which would enable those needing treatment to just produce an insurance card and be attended to.
“If you want all Zambians to have health services without facing financial hardship(s), we need to address the aspect of financial capacity. People must access health services without facing financial hardship(s).
“So this is the Government that shall for the very first time enact a National Social Health Insurance Scheme. In America, you have been hearing of the Obamacare, here, this is the Government that shall begin what you may want to call the Edgarcare,” he said.
Dr Chilufya also said that the ministries of Health and Justice were currently refining the National Social Health Insurance Bill before it could be presented to Cabinet and tabled in Parliament.
He said the scheme’s designs had been made, human resource identified and the general framework was in place.
Meanwhile, Dr Chilufya said the Government had managed to win back donor support in the health sector owing to prudent utilisation of resources as a result of strengthened systems.