By Bernard Lugongo
THE National Health
Insurance Fund (NHIF) targets to cover between 30 and 50 per cent of
Tanzanians with its health insurance services by
June next year as it
rolls out new treatment packages today.
Looking to improve
further its services, the Fund is finalizing processes to introduce
online registration for new members, thus getting rid of paper-based
registration.
The new digital
system will be launched soon as the Fund aligns its services with
egovernment system, according to NHIF General Director Bernard Konga.
Currently the number of beneficiaries of the Fund stands at 4,600,000, which is only eight per cent of the country's population.
"Out of every 100
Tanzanians, only eight are covered, this is a very small amount so we
want to reach between 30 and 50 per cent in the next six months.
We may be seen too ambitious but this is what we target," the NHIF boss, Konga said.
He explained that
efforts were meant to promote the Universal Health Insurance Coverage
which is expected to put every Tanzanian under the scheme.
The new scheme is
expected to give room for Tanzanians to enjoy more affordable healthcare
services. It involves new packages namely; Najali Afya Premium, Wekeza
Afya Premium and Timiza Afya.
Ahead of the
official launch, the Fund conducted a free health screening exercises
along with a public registration campaign, which commenced on Monday at
Mnazi Mmoja Ground.
The new packages'
breakdown shows that the package for individual persons between the age
group of 18 to 35 years-old will cost a fee ranging from 192,000/- to
516,000/-, while people falling in the 36-59 age category cough up
240,000/- to 612,000/- , and as for 60 years and above the packages will
range from 360,000/- to 984,000/- The list shows that couples with more
than one child will contribute between 612,000/- and 1,644,000/-.
Under the health
plan, every citizen will get a chance to enroll as per his/her needs, be
it an individual, couples or a person and children.
The Najali Afya
Premium package comprises of services such as up to 30 days admission
for in-patients in each year, laboratory services and radiology, while
antenatal care will be issued after two years of enrollment under this
scheme.
As for Wekeza Afya
Premium, beneficiaries will be eligible for in-patient services and
admission of up to 45 days, antenatal care after the first year of
enrolment and specialist surgeries.
Other services on offer are laboratory, radiology, ultrasound and CT Scans, can be acquired after the first year of membership.
Meanwhile, the
Timiza Afya package comprises of up to 60 days of inpatient services,
antenatal services after the first year, specialised surgeries and other
basic services applicable in other packages.
All the
beneficiaries will be eligible to acquire services at the level of the
dispensary to regional referral hospitals. A report released last year
by religious leaders under the umbrella of Interfaith Tanzania,
including the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), Bakwata and the CCT
indicated that 64 per cent of Tanzanians had no health insurance cover.
Statistics show
that 32 per cent of Tanzanians have health insurance cover, of which
eight per cent have subscribed to NHIF, 23 per cent are members of
Community Health Fund (CHF), while only one per cent are members of
private health insurance companies.
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