Health insurance coverage in Tanzania: theory and practice: case study of the National Health Insurance Fund (201-2007)
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Date
2009
Authors
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
National health insurance fund started 2001 as a statutory health scheme for civil servants and a year later public servants were included. It was established as an alternative financing option for civil servants after financial difficulties faced by the government in financing health care services. It started with such category of employees for ease of management as well as for the sake of gaining necessary experience but with a view of covering every citizen in the country in future. Despite such good intention the scheme, through in its 7th years of operations, has limited coverage in that not only the law does not allow other categories to become members. But also the allowed membership overage has not been fully exhausted hence leaving large portion of the population uncovered. In this research we were looking for reasons of limited coverage the extent of compliance with the ILO convention no. 102. And what was being planned and being done by the policymaker and the implementers of the scheme to extend coverage. We have found out that limited coverage is caused by restrictions set by the enabling law. Poor compliance with the same law, ignorance of the law and reluctance to join the scheme. Furthermore, the policymakers and implementer of the scheme ae working together to extend coverage through amendment of the enabling law to widen its scope of coverage and application. From this research we have come to the conclusion that extension of coverage is possible where there is also political will and that in order to gain desired results it should be done carefully and gradually as the scheme gains experience.
Description
Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class Mark (THS EAF HD71.2.T34I48)
Keywords
Health insurance, National health insurance fund
Citation
Ilumba, C (2009) Health insurance coverage in Tanzania: theory and practice: case study of the National Health Insurance Fund (201-2007), Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam