Togo: Supplementary health insurance – the government is training stakeholders to achieve universal healthcare
Togo is maintaining its efforts to build a more inclusive and protective health system. Since Tuesday, April 7, 2026, a training seminar on complementary health insurance has been taking place in Lomé, as a follow-up to the Universal Health Insurance (AMU) that came into effect on January 1, 2024.
Organized by the Ministry of Health, the workshop brings together insurance companies, mutual health organizations, and health insurance management bodies from across the country until April 11.
The objective is clear: to strengthen the capacities of national stakeholders in order to better structure the complementary insurance offering and provide Togolese citizens with expanded health coverage.
Concretely, discussions focus on technical and strategic topics: insurance product design, pricing principles, financial balance of schemes, and monitoring and governance tools.
These are all essential levers for building a viable, transparent system accessible to the greatest number.
Why complementary insurance? Because despite its major advances in health inclusion, the AMU only covers a basic benefits package. Certain services, sometimes essential, remain excluded.
This is where complementary insurance comes in, as highlighted by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Health, Dissaliba Winga: “Complementary insurance has a crucial role to play in covering benefits not included in the basic package.”
In short, the AMU protects against major financial risks related to routine care. Complementary insurance fills the gaps: uncovered specialized consultations, off-list medications, in-depth examinations, and even certain hospitalizations. Together, they form a stronger safety net.
This seminar comes at just the right time. As many Togolese households still forgo certain care due to lack of funds, expanding insurance coverage is a concrete response.
Reducing out-of-pocket expenses for families, improving patient management, and facilitating access to care are among the expected benefits.
Togo thus demonstrates its determination to build health for all, leaving no one behind.
The road is still long, but with such training seminars, local stakeholders are equipping themselves to meet the challenge. A beneficial step forward for the well-being of the Togolese people.
Kodjovi Makafui
