Health & Education
From The Report: Cote d'Ivoire 2020
View in Online Reader

Côte d’Ivoire has made a concerted effort in recent years to improve access to health care, rehabilitate and build facilities, and develop technical platforms aligned with international standards. There remains room for improvement in terms of quality, especially as universal health coverage is rolled out. Even so, efforts to expand access have been key to addressing the challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic that emerged in early 2020. Efforts to boost access to education have had positive results at the primary level, where attendance surged. Despite investment aimed at recruiting teachers and building facilities, the situation continues to be more challenging at the higher levels. Access to secondary education remains limited and classes in public high schools overcrowded. While demo-graphics place significant pressure on the system and will necessitate more investment in all levels, plans to build more public universities, develop new trainings and reform vocational education bode well for the future. This chapter contains an interview with Eugène Aka-Aouélé, Minister of Health.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Doctor’s orders: Higher levels of investment to improve access and quality of care
OBG
plus

Côte d’Ivoire is an economic powerhouse in West Africa, posting average growth of 8% between 2011 and 2018. However, the rate of GDP growth in real terms fell to 6.7% in 2019 and is expected to contract to 2.7% in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent widespread shutdowns. Looking to the future, the IMF expects growth to rebound to 8.7% in 2021 – highlighting the country’s economic resilience. Despite the dynamic economy, Côte d’Ivoire lags behind less-developed countries…

Analysis

Expanded access: Universal coverage is rolled out alongside facility upgrades
OBG
plus

After an 18-month pilot phase with 108,469 students, Ivorian authorities began the wider rollout of the universal health coverage (couverture maladie universelle, CMU) programme to the broader population in October 2019. The project is a milestone for Côte d’Ivoire’s health care system, where less than 10% of the population has adequate health coverage. It is also expected to boost local pharmaceutical manufacturing. Universal Cover Monitored by the National Health Insurance Fund (Caisse…

Interview

Healthy performance: Eugène Aka-Aouélé, Minister of Health, on universal coverage and effectively combatting the use of illegal drugs
OBG
plus

Interview:Eugène Aka-Aouélé What are the priority health care investments to be implemented in Côte d’Ivoire? EUGÈNE AKA-AOUÉLÉ: Every factor that contributes to maintaining the resilience of health care systems, as recommended by the World Health Organisation, is integrated into our health care policy. However, realistic planning principles must be made a priority, with preference given to the construction, rehabilitation and equipment of public hospitals, the development of human…

Overview

Class-A investment: National development plans seek to prepare the large, young population for the labour market
OBG
plus

A decade-long political crisis dealt a blow to Côte d’ Ivoire’s education system, which has suffered from years of underinvestment both in infrastructure and human resources. The government has made considerable strides, however, since 2011 to improve and invest in the sector, as well as to boost access across the country by building schools, recruiting teachers and making school compulsory for children aged six to 16 years. Evidence of the sector’s progress and importance to the economy…

Analysis

Close the gap: Public-private cooperation to align curricula with the job market
OBG
plus

Like many other countries in Africa, Côte d’Ivoire is working to address a gap between the skills taught in schools and those demanded in the job market. To this end, the authorities are bringing training in line with the needs of the economy and employers. With the economy expanding quickly, prompting a number of international firms to invest and start operations, the need is becoming more acute. Mismatch The education system was severely affected by the political crisis that ended…

Overview

Upskilling for innovation: Teaching methods are updated to ensure people have the right skill sets to leverage emerging technologies
OBG
plus

As the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) gains pace, labour markets must adapt to meet the changing needs of the communities and economies they serve. Policy and business models are evolving in order to leverage disruptive technology – including artificial intelligence (AI) – and benefit from enhanced connectivity and productivity. A shift in education will be key to ensuring that populations have the skills to both adapt to and build on new technologies and the changes they spur. Connectivity Infrastructure Electricity and internet connectivity in some markets covered by OBG may be characterised by unreliable supply or by a low…