Togo: Over the past decade, the number of beneficiaries of the National Health Insurance Institute has doubled
Tuesday, 15 March 2022 12:21 
(Togo First) - From 209,000 in 2012, the number of beneficiaries of the health care services of the National Health Insurance Institute (INAM) has increased to 426,000 in 2021.
Over the period, services provided by the INAM almost tripled. Data from the institution shows that the number of consultations jumped to 405,000 from 137,000, while analyses stood at 482,000 on average per year.
Over the past nine years, the Institute has also strengthened its presence in the country, setting up six regional delegations, and 16 liaison offices in hospitals that receive many patients. Through these actions, the INAM aimed to raise awareness and advise people on the different contexts adapted to benefit from its services.
In its report, the institution, headed by Myriam Dossou-d'Alméida, indicates that it has signed agreements with public and private healthcare centers, analysis laboratories, medical imaging centers and pharmacies, to meet the expectations of the insured. By the end of 2021, the number of these contracted providers was approximately 1,500, compared to 953 when it began operations.
It should also be noted that, with the number of its beneficiaries swelling over the past decade, the INAM has overhauled its management tools. The number of benefit books, their volume and format have been reduced. An IT system was also put in place, followed a few years later by the dematerialization process, which allowed the health insurance management body to be distinguished by the International Social Security Association (ISSA).
Initially open only to public administration and parapublic employees, the health insurance scheme now covers several professions: senior citizens, volunteers, craftsmen, journalists, students and architects. At the same time, steps are being taken by the private sector to register its members. In the meantime, nearly 2,000 people have been registered.
It should be noted that while INAM is working to improve the quality of its services, it has been trusted with managing the Universal Health Insurance (UHI), a project falling under the government’s 2025 new roadmap.
Esaïe Edoh
