Private health facilities, accounting for 18 percent of all health centers in the country. PHOTO | iStock
Friday, March 01, 2024 Updated on Monday, April 08, 2024
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Dar es Salaam. Disagreement between private healthcare providers and the Tanzanian government over the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) has taken an ugly turn after some of the country's leading private hospitals decided to suspend services to holders of NHIF cards.
All Aga Khan Hospitals in the country, Regency Medical Centre, Kairuki Hospital, TMJ Hospitals, and Apollo Hospital—announced the suspension of services to NHIF card holders starting today, March 1, "until a new arrangement is agreed upon."The dispute stems from reforms in the NHIF scheme, including lowering the price packages for some services and changes allowing NHIF members with conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes to access medications at lower levels. Additionally, the cost of treatment for chronic kidney disease patients undergoing dialysis has been reduced. Treatment for cancer, heart disease, and kidney disease is now available at the regional level, and 247 drugs have been added to the list.
Private health facilities, accounting for 18 percent of all health centers in the country, claim the government's decision to lower prices for some treatments will harm operations due to cost implications. Some new rates are reported to be 20–30 percent lower than previous charges, leading to potential losses for private hospitals.
NHIF Executive Director Bernard Konga stated that price revisions aim to expand access to healthcare by including previously excluded Tanzanians in the scheme. Despite reported unsuccessful engagements between private health facilities and the Ministry of Health in the past, stakeholders express openness to further dialogue to resolve the deadlock.
However, the push and pull between the country's leading private hospitals and the government puts thousands of patients under the NHIF scheme at risk. More so, it exposes those receiving critical care to health burdens due to a limitation of service providers. The available option for those seeking medical services with NHIF cards is to pay cash.
Members of the Association of Private Health Facilities in Tanzania (APHFT), the Christian Social Service Commission (CSSC), and the National Muslim Council of Tanzania (BAKWATA) have in the past reported that engagements with the Ministry of Health have not yielded any positive results. However, they say that they are still open to further engagement in resolving the deadlock.
Minister of Health, Ummy Mwalimu, says that deliberations are ongoing, and today, March 1, the ministry will hold further engagements with key stakeholders.
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