Khartoum, January 18, 2009 - The Health Insurance Corporation, Khartoum State (HICKS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in Sudan, signed today a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct actuarial study to analyse the current situation of Social Health Insurance with the current number of subscribers and the levels of services, This study, first of its kind in Sudan, will reflect on the future of health insurance situation when total coverage of the population of Khartoum state is achieved.
During the signing ceremony in WHO's office in Khartoum, WHO Representative Dr. Mohammad Abdur Rab, said that the study " is extremely important in order to make the current efforts for expanding the health insurance coverage to the entire population of Khartoum state, a successful and sustainable move.". He stressed on the necessity for Who and HICKS to closely collaborate in order to: "Successfully conduct the study".
The Director General of the Health Insurance Corporation, Khartoum State, Dr. Eihab Abbas, thanked WHO for its support and reiterated his organization's resolve to successfully undertake the study. " It was essential to cost effectively expand the insurance coverage", he said.
Her Excellency, Dr. Samia Habbani, The Minister for Social Affairs, Khartoum State, stressed on the ministry's support for the smooth and successful implementation of the study. (I think we do not need to state how great we are. Repeating such ideas is not very good for our own credibility).
The actuarial study, will established a knowledge base about the capacity of the existing system to expand both in terms of the population coverage and benefits package. With this information, the level of premium and co-payment will be determined, in order to keep the system balanced for a longer term. In addition, this study will define the tariffs for medical services and drugs in the benefit package.