Tanzania’s proposed health insurance law draws mixed reactions

By Kizito Makoye

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AA) - Tanzania’s proposed health insurance law has elicited mixed reactions among public health experts, with some claiming it overlooks broader interests of the poor while others say it provides better checks and balances on health insurance schemes.

The long-awaited Universal Health Insurance (UHI) Bill 2022, which was presented in parliament Saturday, allows Tanzanians from all walks of life access to health services for just 65,000 Tanzanian shillings ($28) a year, officials said.

Deus Kitapondya, an emergency medicine consultant at Judea Limited in Dar es Salaam, said the proposed law is unlikely to succeed since it has taken the country nearly three decades to insure just 10% of the population.

“What kind of magic shall they do to bring 100% health insurance coverage?” he told Anadolu Agency.

Asery Mchomvu, a public and family health consultant at Mission Mikocheni Hospital in Dar es Salaam, said it is not clear how the government will finance insurance schemes to cater to the interests of the downtrodden.

“The government should have taken the broadest steps to protect the economic security of the poor,” he said.

However, Linus Chuwa, a public health consultant at Saint Bernard’s Hospital in Dar es Salaam, said the proposed law will eliminate weaknesses in the existing health insurance fund.

“The bill has severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for those who would go against the law,” he told Anadolu Agency.

Chuwa said the proposed law promotes fairness and equal allocation public resources for the benefit of the people.

He said the new law will compel citizens to obtain health insurance in order to get access to other important social services.

Speaking with Anadolu Agency, Tanzanian Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu said the government is determined to provide quality healthcare to people who have incurred out-of-pocket expenses through public and private partnership schemes.

“Poor people have been bearing a huge burden. UHI will relieve them,” she said.

According to Tanzania’s Health Ministry, UHI provides a full range of essential health services including treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.

However, Kitapondya disputed the ministry’s assertions, saying it is virtually impossible to provide insurance coverage to 50 million people including children and those living in poverty.

He said Tanzania has an estimated population of 65 million, out of which only 5%-10% or roughly 8-10 million people have access to different types of health insurance.

“If you experience a health emergency, you are most likely to die, even if you have insurance cover, because emergency medical services in Tanzania are not covered by insurance,” he said.

Kitapondya said that in Tanzania, 5%-8% of elderly people over the age of 65 are suffering from debilitating illnesses and need home-based care, but it is not covered by insurance.

Meanwhile, local residents have hailed the proposed law, which would establish the Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority— a regulatory body to oversee insurance schemes in their provision of quality health services.

“I am happy to see that this policy is about to become a reality. We will soon have access to high-quality health services,” said Daudi Kabale, a resident of Dar es Salaam.