Cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire gain healthcare access
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Around 5,000 cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire are receiving improved healthcare through CHEER, a partnership between Gavi, Tony’s Open Chain, Elucid, and philanthropic organizations.
Yacouba Sama, a 22-year-old farmer, received prescriptions and medicine without charge, previously costing 8,910 CFA francs. The initiative builds upon Côte d’Ivoire’s universal health insurance, CMU, by covering the 30% of medical costs that often prevented farmers from seeking care.
The program focuses on strengthening the existing public health system by enrolling farmers in CMU and utilizing Ministry of Health facilities, rather than creating separate private insurance. Community health workers and nurses have received training, increasing attendance at health centers. Challenges remain, including ensuring consistent access to birth certificates for registration and addressing medicine shortages. Beyond covering costs, the project also prioritizes preventative care. Nurses travel to remote settlements to administer vaccinations, including those for malaria, and monitor vaccination coverage.
Dr. Nestor Kouadio of Côte d’Ivoire’s Expanded Programme on Immunization notes the partnership helps reach families in cocoa-growing areas who don’t often visit health centers. The program, which began as a $6 million pilot, is expanding with additional funding from companies like Hershey’s and Mars.
