Tanzanian health insurance scheme wins ISSA Good Practice Award for Africa

 
The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) of the United Republic of Tanzania has received the ISSA Good Practice Award for Africa 2011 for improvements in its health insurance scheme, the International Social Security Association (ISSA) has announced.


The ISSA Good Practice Award, which was presented at a ceremony in Arusha on 5 December, was given to the NHIF for its strategic approach to improving its medical benefits package and health-care facilities, which has resulted in greater availability of medical services and an increase in the population which has access to health insurance in the country.

The international Jury which selected the winning entries also awarded three Certificates of Merit with special mention for good practices in social security to the following entries:

• National Social Insurance Fund, Cameroon, for the project Process for verifying the authenticity of civil status documents and certificates of school attendance ;
• National Social Insurance Institute, Cape Verde, for its Modernization Project "New attitudes for new challenges" ;
• Rwanda Social Security Board for its strategy for the Extension of social security coverage to the informal sector .

 
The Jury also gave Certificates of Merit to social security projects from Algeria, Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda.

Launched in 2008, the ISSA Good Practice Award programme is organized on a regional basis over a three-year cycle, and the competition for Africa 2011 attracted 42 entries from 19 countries representing 21 organizations.

Speaking at the Good Practice Award ceremony, the ISSA Secretary General Hans-Horst Konkolewsky commended the quality and diversity of the submissions from the region.

“The impressive range of initiatives in African social security institutions demonstrates a commitment to improving the adequacy and quality of services, and confirms the substantial efforts to increase administrative efficiency in the region,” Mr. Konkolewsky stated.

“The ISSA is very pleased to congratulate the National Health Insurance Fund on its achievements, which, together with the other good practices recognized today, will serve as a source of guidance and inspiration for social security in Africa and beyond,” he said.