The Government has set aside 149bn/- to pay for health insurance ahead of the tabling of the bill on Universal Health Insurance for all next week. The universal health insurance bill will be read for the first time in Parliament in the session scheduled to commence here next week and if approved will make health insurance coverage a must for all citizens.
The Government Chief Spokesman, Mr. Greyson Msigwa said the Government intends to see all of its citizens are insured. "The bill will be tabled in this parliament starting next week... The intention of the sixth-phase government is to make sure that all citizens are covered under the health insurance scheme," Mr. Msingwa said as he graced a meeting between National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and editors in Dodoma yesterday.
The Government wants step by step to enable its citizens to be covered under the health scheme and the amount set aside is part of the plan. This, according to Mr. Msigwa, is also supported by the 2020/2021 budget that allocated 1,04tri/- for the Health sector, especially for facilities and medicines. NHIF Director General, Mr. Benard Konga said although a working programme for how the fund will be distributed was not out, the assistance will go to those who leave below a US Dollar a day.
"The target group is the 26 percent of the population that live below the poverty line. If the fund is not sufficient to cover the entire population under the poverty line then another strategy will be devised ...But all have to be covered," Mr. Konga said. He said the Government has several tools and institutions that could provide the list for eligible health care beneficiaries.
The Government plan has come at a time when NHIF is celebrating 20 years of serving the nation by providing affordable health insurance services. However, during its 20 years, the fund registered several success and challenges. For instance, a survey conducted last year showed that 20 percent of the fund members are not satisfied with the services offered by the fund due to limited health facilities at peripheries and lack of a programme to enable members to pay in installments.
NHIF Director of Membership Services, Mr. Christopher Mapunda said the way forward is working on eliminating challenges that are facing the 20 percent of its members to enable them also get a better service. The survey conducted in 2019/2020 showed that 80 percent of their members are somewhat pleased with the service offered by the fund but the remaining 20 percent showed dissatisfaction.