Assessment of community participation in health financing: a case study of community health fund in Bagamoyo district

This study investigates Community Participation in Health Financing with the focus CHF(Community Health Fund) Scheme in Bagamoyo District. The specific objectives were three. Firs, to examine the roles and responsibilities of the health committees in decision making, Second, to examine how community participate in CHF planning and management of the scheme, Third, to examine how community participation impact on health financing. This study employed descriptive method to get in depth findings about the research problem. In addition, a case study method was used which involved extensive investigation on how community participate on health financing. Study findings were obtained through structured questionnaires that were administered to heads of household, Community Health Fund Coordinator, Council Health Service Board (CHSB), Council Health Management Team, Ward Health Committee, Village Health Committee, Members of Health Fund, and non Members. Overall study findings showed that Community Participation in Health Financing in Bagamoyo District is very minimal, and is been dominated by power, and Authority in decision making process, and the committees are not well functioning accordingly. Additionally, in most cases participation has been related with Tokenism level of Tear fund , however, the government of Tanzania appreciate and recognize the importance of involving community in decision-making process, planning and implementation as the key to improve Health Sector in Tanzania.The findings of the study concludes that, the demand for greater participation in health has been present since the primary health care in the 1970s, and while it is accepted as a norm, much remains to be done to operationalize this. The concept needs to be redefined to mean more involvement of the people at the local level in decision making rather than participation in payments of different forms.