Tanga regional commissioner Chiku Gallawa

Tanga regional commissioner Chiku Gallawa has urged the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to offer better health services to its members in order to create mutual harmony and trust.

She said since the number of members joining the fund had been increasing, it should go hand in hand with improved services.

Addressing an NHIF stakeholders’ meeting here yesterday, she said since the government had established the NHIF workers and members of the public had been benefiting through it.

“The cost of health services is high and there is no way it can go down. An individual can’t afford it, so the establishment of the NHIF has been a relief for many Tanzanians,” she insisted.

However, she said apart from the importance of the NHIF in Tanga region the situation was not good, especially in the districts of Mkinga, Korogwe and Kilindi ,which were lagging behind in registering members with the NHIF.

She urged the district authorities to ensure they sensitised the public so that more of them could register.

In another development, the RC has warned employers from both the public and private

sectors, saying they should not be a stumbling-block in registering their employees. She warned that she would take disciplinary action against such employers.

In his welcoming note, NHIF deputy director general Hamisi Mdee said they had decided to bring together all stakeholders to share views and help improve health service delivery to NHIF members.