NEWS

Sister Eugénie DENA, EMI West Africa Section Leader, tells of her visit to Burkina Faso in early 2021.

With the largest indigenous congregation in Burkina Faso

 

“I had the joy of being invited by the largest indigenous congregation of Burkina Faso, the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (SIC) at the end of February 2021 and I took the opportunity to visit five (5) dioceses of the country: Ouagadougou, Koupela, Diebougou, Koudougou, Dédougou.
The Congregation is preparing for their centenary, 100 years of existence in 2022. As a result, they have several themes for reflection, including the health of their members. For a long time they have heard about the IMS and did not feel financially ready to join. Having responsibilities in the structures of the dioceses and through the approach of His Excellency Bishop Rouamba, the sisters had the “audacity” to want to know more about the mutual insurance by involving all the members.Having responsibilities in the structures of the dioceses and through the approach of His Excellency Bishop Rouamba, the sisters dared to find out more about the mutual society by involving all members.

 

They are organised by province, three of which are in the country, and there are 463 nuns: Ouagadougou, Koupela, Koudougou.
I really appreciated their mobilisation for this information session and their efforts to ensure that all the sisters were present. In Ouagadougou there were more than 250 sisters, in Koupela 65 and in Koudougou 65. The time was set aside to inform and answer questions.

 

The main purpose of this great meeting was to inform ourselves about the IMS and to take a unanimous decision afterwards.

 

I welcome this initiative and thank Bishop Rouamba who was a very important actor in this process.

To the Dioceses and Congregations that are members of the IMS

The Dioceses and congregations that are members of the IMS were informed of my arrival, and this was an opportunity to meet with them, some of them to get information on the services, the areas of care, the major differences between the EMI and the local insurance companies, etc., and others to visit their reception centres for possible accreditation by the IMS and their diocesan medical centres. For example, in the archdiocese of Koupela, I had the joy of meeting the Archbishop and his priests, and of being able to intervene.

 

With regard to the health care network, with the Bursar of Ouagadougou, we visited the Polyclinic Notre Dame de la Paix and the Saint Camille Hospital, which are very popular with our members. It was a question of clarifying the mission of the IMS and of distinguishing ourselves from the insurance companies; noting all the anomalies from admission to their establishment until discharge (sending detailed hospital bills to the dioceses in good time, receipts, avoiding checkups, over-billing, etc.)

 

The day before my return I received an invitation from Cardinal Ouédraogo for a fraternal sharing.

 

The stay was very enriching and satisfying and I thank everyone for their hospitality. ”