Government has unveiled the Universal Health Insurance (UHI) as a key pillar of its strategy to improve maternal, and newborn health.
The latest development is to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare for all citizens.
The three-day conference, which opened Tuesday, August 4, at the Paynesville City Hall, brought together senior government officials, healthcare professionals, county health teams, development partners, and civil society representatives.
Participants evaluated the performance of country’s health sector, and outlined priorities for the future.
The was held under the theme: “Introducing Universal Health Insurance in Liberia: Financing Quality Maternal and Newborn Care for All.”
The conference placed healthcare financing at the center of efforts to strengthen health system, and reduce preventable deaths among women, and newborns.
Health Minister, Louise Mapleh Kpoto, described the annual review as more than a routine assessment of the health sector.
Madam Kpoto said, the gathering provides a national platform for measuring progress, identifying persistent challenges, and developing practical solutions that will improve healthcare delivery.
She stressed the need to reduce maternal, and newborn mortality.
Madam Kpoto: “No woman, or child should be denied life-saving healthcare, because of financial barriers.”
She said, the proposed UHI scheme is to create a sustainable financing model capable of expanding access to essential health services while protecting families from the burden of high medical costs.
The conference comes at a time when Liberia continues to pursue reforms that would build a stronger, and resilient healthcare system after years of investment in public health infrastructure, workforce development, and disease surveillance.
Officials believe that introducing a national health insurance program could address long-standing financing challenges while ensuring predictable funding for essential health services.
Participants have spent the last three days as they reviewed achievements recorded over the past year, examined gaps in service delivery, and discussed policy reforms designed to improve the quality, efficiency, and accessibility of healthcare.
Key discussions focused on the design, and implementation of the proposed UHI framework, maternal, and newborn healthcare, primary healthcare delivery, health workforce capacity, disease prevention, health financing reforms, and partnerships to sustain improvements across the sector.
The conference also provided opportunity for county health teams, and development partners, who shared experiences, reviewed performance indicators, and identify strategies for accelerating progress toward national, and global health targets, including UHI coverage.
Health experts say, sustainable financing remains one of the most requirements to strengthen the health system.
They argue that a well-designed health insurance scheme has the potential to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare spending, improve access to essential services, and enhance the quality of care available to vulnerable populations.
