Liberia to Pilot Digital Health Insurance Scheme for Vulnerable Groups Starting July
Paynesville — The Government of Liberia has signed a landmark agreement to launch a pilot National Health Insurance Scheme aimed at providing affordable healthcare coverage for thousands of vulnerable citizens.
The initiative was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at the headquarters of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) in Paynesville.
The partnership includes the LTA, the National Identification Registry (NIR), and the National Insurance Corporation of Liberia (NICOL), with enrollment scheduled to begin on July 1, 2025.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Acting Chairperson of the LTA, Abdullah L. Kamara, said the pilot program will initially target between 3,000 and 5,000 Liberians. Priority groups include persons with disabilities, unsupported pregnant women, unemployed youth and women, and children involved in street trading.
“This pilot is more than a test — it’s the beginning of a transformation,” Kamara said.
He explained that the program will operate under the National Digital Transformation Program, using digital technology to facilitate enrollment, service delivery, and fraud prevention.
Executive Director of the National Identification Registry, Andrew D. Peters, emphasized the central role of Liberia’s National ID in the pilot scheme.
“Accurate identification is at the heart of this program,” Peters stated. “It ensures that the right people get the right care — and that public resources are not wasted.”
He warned that anyone caught falsifying data, such as age or identity, risks being blacklisted from future government programs. “Data integrity is not just a technical issue — it’s about saving lives,” he added.
According to Peters, participation in the program will be limited to Liberian citizens who hold valid National ID cards. Specific target age groups and locations will be announced in the coming weeks.
The NIR is also coordinating with other government agencies, including the Ministries of Health and Education, to ensure data accuracy and security.
Peters also applauded the LTA for becoming the first public institution to integrate the National ID system into a government service. He cited a previous case in which the NIR helped identify and remove over US$45,000 in fraudulent entries from a government cash transfer program through identity verification.
NICOL Acting CEO Abdullah Swaray said the institution will serve as the primary risk carrier for the scheme, providing coverage for maternal care, emergency services, and treatment of common infectious and chronic diseases.
“Beneficiaries may pay as little as a few hundred Liberian Dollars, while the government will subsidize the majority of the cost through the LTA,” Swaray said.
He announced that a nationwide awareness campaign will soon launch to inform citizens about the program, its enrollment process, and eligibility criteria.
“We are calling on all Liberians — especially the most vulnerable — to prepare for enrollment because this pilot is the foundation of something far bigger,” Swaray added. “If successful, this program could become the national model for comprehensive, digitally driven health insurance in Liberia.”
By FrontPageAfrica.
