Meeting with IMS groups in Gabon
11/05/2021
From 22 to 28 February 2021, Father Albert NDONGO ASSAMBA, Head of the Section and Sister Marie-Anne ABOMO, Manager of the IMS Central Africa Section, went to Gabon, one of the countries of our Section, for an animation meeting.
The objectives were :
– To meet with the groups to remind them of some principles of functioning and to resolve some recurrent difficulties.
– To meet with the Congregations and Dioceses that do not have health coverage and to propose to them a membership in the IMS.
On the spot, we met individually with some Group leaders to settle current affairs (Spiritans of Gabon, Blue Sisters, Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of MAKOKOU): Collection of the Contribution, payment of Benefits, modification of lists.
February 25, 2021: Sister Marie-Anne had a meeting with the Bursar and the Assistant Bursar of the Archdiocese of Libreville in order to take stock of this diocese which was a member of the IMS and which, following the appointment of a new Bishop, is experiencing a moment of rupture. During the discussions, the participants reviewed the situation and considered how to return the diocese to the IMS with the consent of the new bishop. A meeting with the Archbishop of Libreville was scheduled for the following day, but this was cancelled due to a last minute problem.
However, we are hopeful that the Archdiocese of Libreville will soon return to the IMS following this meeting.
On 26 February, Father Albert and Sister Marie-Anne spoke at the COSMAG Assembly.
For reasons of respect for barriers, the Assembly could not accommodate more than thirty members.
Father Albert, in his speech, began with the history of the Association to present the IMS, insisting on the fact that the IMS is not an insurance company, but a mutual of solidarity. He then spoke about its functioning, the different Options, the contribution and reimbursement rates. The complementary solutions were also highlighted. In fact, the main aim of the meeting was to get to know the IMS better.
Afterwards, there was a long time for exchanges where the speakers had to ask all possible questions for a better knowledge of the IMS, on the different countries and zones of Option 4. Practical questions such as how long it takes to enter invoices for treatment, foreclosure deadlines, etc. were answered.
The participants in this meeting expressed their joy at having been able to meet with IMS officials and to resolve a number of their problems directly.
Albert flew to Port-Gentil, another diocese in Gabon, on the afternoon of February 26 to meet with the new Bishop Eusebius and discuss the IMS. Bishop Eusebius promised to continue the reflection for the return of his diocese to the IMS.
We would like to emphasise that all these meetings have given us the opportunity to refocus things on the knowledge and functioning of the IMS, even with the Congregations already members who do not always have an exact knowledge of the Association, and to open the doors for possible new groups. To this end, steps have already been taken for a new membership of a Congregation in Gabon to the IMS. The documents have been sent.