The Tiko Mutual Health Organisation, MHO, says it is poised to clear the about FCFA 6 million debts it owes its partners as part of measures aimed at fixing the ‘marred image’ of the health scheme.

This was among the resolutions adopted when its members gathered recently for their 9th annual general assembly meeting at the Holforth Health Centre conference hall in Tiko.

Officials of the organisation regretted that because of the accrued debts, most partner hospitals were no longer interested in giving appropriate healthcare to the scheme’s members, hence the reluctance to make renewals.

Thus, other attendees of the meeting joined their voices to that of the MHO Manager, Hedley Tah, in urging the Board members and other stakeholders to show more committed in their engagement, and to follow up the Ministry of Public health which has promised to pay the debts.

The Manager, however, said despite all the challenges, hope still lies ahead.

“There is a glimmer of hope in the horizon. We have agreed that members should reduce their premium to about a tenth of the amount, increase their enrolment rates, undertake massive sensitisation to ensure that more members come into the scheme, and board members have also taken the commitment to ensure that health insurance is compulsory for all…,” he said.

The MHO Chair, Joseph Kedia, also revealed during the meeting that they have appealed to the Tiko council for an annual support of FCFA 2 million to assist in their day-to-day running as well as the payment of bills of their members but that the council was yet to positively respond to the plea.

Speaking earlier, the Assistant Divisional Officer for Tiko, Mme Babara Mama, and the Tiko District Medical Officer, Dr. Alain Dongmo, both recognised the non-negligible role the Tiko MHO has played in healthcare financing since 2005, pointing out that last year for example, it paid circa FCFA 2 million in bills for its subscribers.

Tiko Mutual Health Organisation was created in 2005 from, on the one hand the National Health Sector Strategic Plan and from the fruits of Cameroon – German Cooperation on the other hand. Since its creation, the organisation has helped beneficiaries pay more than FCFA 60 million worth of hospital bills. It now has 442 up-to-date beneficiaries.