Over 32 million citizens Covered by Community Based Health Insurance

Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI) is a system that reaches out to the part of the communities which is involved in the informal economy sector in Rural, Urban and Pastoralist areas in the country. CBHI was first piloted in 13 districts of the Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, and Southern regional states in 2011. The system was expanded 2014 based the experiences from the pilot projects. 

According to Alemu Anno, Deputy Director  General of Ethiopian Health Insurance Agency, the community wide health insurance activities were introduced in 827 districts of all regional states and city administrations out of which 743 districts have completed preparations and started health services to members and their families. Over 32 million citizens who live in those districts have been Covered in the health insurance system.  

The deputy director general said that more than 6.5 million of those who were registered in the health insurance system were people who could not afford to pay for their health insurance and the government has covered their expenses.

Ato Alemu pointed out that over 1.5 billion birr was collected from financial contribution by members of the Community Based Health Insurance and subsidy budgets. And over 524 million birr was spent to pay for the health services provided for members within nine months in the 2019-2020 fiscal year. 

Community Based Health Insurance is a system that is designed to minimize the pressure of health-related expenses upon parts of the community who are involved in the informal economy sector and to prevent their fall into poverty.