La gratuité des soins et ses effets sociaux : entre renforcement des capabilités et du pouvoir d’agir (empowerment) au Burkina Faso

The present evidence on free selective assistance of health care is still insufficient and mostly focused on their effects on the use of health services or the reductions of catastrophic expenses. Most times, their social dimension is often hidden.  The originality of this thesis lies on the fact that it is the first research that focused on the social effects of the free selective health care interventions. The results are structured under four articles. The first article shows that free selective health care interventions are well accepted since it is seen as a contributor to reinforce social connection. However, the choice of the target recipients is questioned. For moral and humanitarian reasons, communities prefer the inclusion of  older people in the target population in place of the  poor. Yet, targeting the poor did not lead to stigmatization.  The second article showed that providing free health care to the population by the management committee members of the health centers contributed to strengthening their ability to act as well as that of their organization. Yet, for an effective involvement of the community, the study shows that their services must be followed by a reinforcement of their competence.  The third article supports the evidence that the removal of health fees has enabled women to no longer have the need to borrow or negotiate the approval of their husbands to have money for antenatal and deliveries care. As a result, it contributed to their empowerment and helped them to reach other health (increased of assisted childbirth) and social goals (elevating their social status.) The fourth article explores the sustainability of free selective health care interventions. The results estimate that the sustainability level of free healthcare for indigent (Ouargaye) is medium corresponding to the highest level in an organization whereas the gratuity of childbirth and health care for children (Dori and Sebba) is precarious. This disparity is mainly caused by a scale difference (size of the population involved) and the magnitude (inequality of the resources involved) between these interventions. Other factors such as the modalities of implementations of these interventions (project strategy in Dori and Sebba vs communal strategy in Ouargaye) played a role. The study has lead to several outcomes such as: 1) The significance of taking into account the values of the population when planning reforms; 2) The efficiency and social significance of common targeting of the needy; 3) The ability of communities to get involved and take care of their health problems assuming that they are provided with financial resources and minimum training; 4) The importance of the process of sustainability especially the stabilization of financial resources necessary for the continuity of the intervention and the adoption of organizational risks in its management; 5) The importance of removing financial barriers to services in order to enhance women’s empowerment and its corollary ,  their use of social services.

Keyphrases: Burkina Faso, Free care, Social effect, Empowerment, Capability, Burkina Faso, Targeting, Social values, Sustainability