A joint P4H scoping mission comprised of WHO, World Bank, France, Switzerland, USAID, Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC) and the P4H Coordination Desk takes place from 5 to 11 February 2011. The mission notes that among Benin’s strengths in moving towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) are: very strong political backing, notably from the President of the Republic who is personally involved and closely monitoring developments; and some useful experience in working with health financing instruments such as Community Based Health Insurance (CBHI) and exemption schemes. Benin’s UHC plans are also supported by several development partners. The main recommendations of the scoping mission team include the setting up of a high level Réseau d’Assurance Maladie Universelle (RAMU) steering committee, chaired by the institution in charge of government coordination and the simplification of RAMU’s architecture by splitting it into two blocks, comprising formal and informal sector households. The team also recommends that the recently formed Agence Nationale d’Assurance Maladie (ANAM) absorb all exemption mechanisms (free caesarean section, indigent fund, etc.) in stages and start its operations as soon as possible. On the legal front, the team recommends the swift passage of the RAMU bill and the preparation of any other legal documents needed. With regard to finance, the team recommends the allocation of adequate funding for RAMU in the next and following government budgets to ensure sufficient subsidy for the informal sector, and to start work immediately on RAMU financial projections. Finally, the team recommends that work start on a RAMU identification system, and the restructuring of the CBHI networks.
