ARTICLE - PINK CARD - "KONBIT SOLIDARITE"

LAUNCH OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY PINK CARD "KONBIT SOLIDARITE"
(Haiti Libre) -

President Michel Martelly, proceeded, Monday, May 28, to the inauguration of the new physiotherapy department at OFATMA Hospital (Office of Insurance Work Accident, Sickness and Maternity) in Cité Militaire, officially launched as the Pink Card, "Konbit Solidarity", a free health insurance card, valid for one year, which will facilitate the access for Haitian families to quality health care.

"It is the appropriate time to recall that in the mandate given to OFATMA in 1967, health insurance in favor of working men and women, for workers of the formal sector was planned, but was ignored for 45 years [...] I'm here to send another signal of hope to the people. We are here this morning to launch the health insurance card, for parents, children, boys and girls. It is not normal for someone who is ill, can not go to the doctor because the treatments are too expensive. It is not normal [...] The health insurance card will be distributed to 400 workers and their families, so about 2,000 people will benefit from it. It will be valid for one year, and recipients will have it for free We are working on this card to understand how much it will cost the State, to be able to put a price on it in the future. We are in the experimental phase [...] we chose to work with people who work in the handling of luggage at the airport [300 people of the 'Red Caps' service], and we will add 100 people from the informal sector; merchants, and various workers with their families. This first group will serve as a pilot group, which means that we will do a test to see how it will work. Once OFATMA has tested the Pink Card, and it works the way we want it to;  we can give this card to a department, then two, three... until we have the card at a national level [...]"

The Health Card holders will benefit from preventive and curative care in dermatology, surgery/trauma, Obstetrics/Gynecology, ENT, ophthalmology, internal medicine and pediatrics at the following hospitals :

Hopital Communauté Haïtienne at Frères;
Hopital OFATMA in Cité Militaire;
Hopital Diquini in Carrefour;
Hopital Fermathe in Kenscoff;
Hopital La Paix on Delmas 33.

"The Health Card, will address a special need for an individual, in health for households, fathers with lower average incomes, and will enable them to meet the health requirements," said Mr. Ronsard St-Cyr, the Minister of Social Affairs, who congratulated the President Martelly for his commitment to the Haitian people.

Over 60,000 consultations are carried out annually at the outpatient clinic of OFATMA, indicated Charles Jean Jacques, the General Manager of this hospital, announcing the presence soon of  OFATMA in Caracol.

"I appreciate that OFATMA works to, not only to fulfill its obligations to those whose it is directly responsible, but that it opens up to the society in general, to help solve serious social problems. I am mindful of its presence in the North and its plans to set up hospitals in other departments of the country. I want to publicly give my support to OFATMA on behalf of the Haitian people," declared the Head of State; adding that, "Gradually, we are moving forward. The objective is to enable all Haitians to find health care when they are sick. Like the free education program where we are working to send all children to school, we are fighting so that every son of Haiti may fully enjoy their right to health, by the end of my term."

President Martelly, reiterated once again that he will never cease to take specific action designed to improve the living conditions of the population.