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Health scheme told to be all-embracing
2006-09-24 09:51:02
By Our Correspondent
An African health accounts expert has called on Tanzania’s National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to adjust itself so as to cater for both the formal and informal sectors, otherwise, it should change its current identity.
Takondwa Mwase, a Malawian expert in issues pertaining to National Health Accounts (NHA), told this paper yesterday in the Mozambican capital, Maputo, that the NHIF scheme carried the name that did not portray what it was actually covering.
’’What your NHIF is doing is a mere private social insurance, or rather, government employee health insurance,’’ remarked Mwase, who for over 10 years has been engaged in health planning, financing and care management. He is currently a health economist with Abt Associates, Inc. based in Lilongwe , Malawi .
He said, the word ’’national’’ implies that the fund cuts across the entire population of Tanzania. ”But to my surprise, I came to learn that the scheme caters for just the public sector employees,’’ he said, noting that ’’in fact, you are giving hopes to the public that cannot be realized.’’
Acknowledging that despite the shortfall, the NHIF was a step ahead in ensuring quality health delivery among the Tanzania’s population, Mwase said, the scheme managers should set a time frame towards transforming itself into a full national health insurance facility.
Mwase said a few months ago, he met some senior officials in the scheme to express his concern. ’’When I was in Dar some few months ago, I echoed the same observations to the fund’s officials.
They responded that they were just starting and would think about stretching further in the near future. My advice was the same: Put a clear time frame for it.’’
He said the best thing now was for the scheme to conduct an assessment of private or informal sectors to see how they can bring them all a board.
The NHIF was established by Act of parliament No.8 of 1999 as an alternative financing option in the health sector following the government’s decision to implement health sector reforms.
The scheme currently caters for central government employees, including their spouses and up to four children and /or legal dependants. Thus, the scheme covers up to six people in a family.
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