The Gambia launches new biometric CRVS and health insurance scheme

President Adama Barrow of The Gambia has appealed to citizens of the West African country of 2.5 million people to show up in huge numbers to register their biometrics for a civil registry and national health insurance scheme which has just been launched.

The purpose of the registration is to enable the establishment of digital birth certificates and for subscription to a new national health scheme, according to a press release from the office of the President.

President Barrow, on August 3, set the example by sitting down himself for registration into the country’s new electronic Civil Registry and Vital Statistics (CRVS) database, mentions a tweet by The Gambian presidency.

Speaking at the State House, Barrow congratulated the government, especially the Ministry of Health on efforts in bringing the health insurance project to fruition, per the announcement. He remarked that registration for the health insurance scheme, which will come with a biometric insurance card, will enable Gambians easily take care of their health needs.

“As Head of State, I think it is important for me to do the same process so that I have Health Insurance and a biometric birth certificate. This is a big achievement for our country,” said Barrow after getting himself registered.

The national insurance scheme is part of efforts by the Barrow administration to facilitate access to health care for citizens, one of the promises made during his campaign for a second mandate, the news release notes. Barrow was re-elected in December 2021.

The Health Ministry says the biometric registration for the insurance scheme will run for three months, and the initiative is intended to make access to health care affordable for average Gambians.

The Gambia rolled out a new biometric ID project by Semlex in 2020, which entails the issuance of residence cards and other IDs to expats living in the country, and national ID cards to citizens.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometric enrollment  |  biometrics  |  birth registration  |  civil registry  |  digital ID  |  healthcare  |  insurance  |  The Gambia