Achieving universal health coverage (UHC) has become a priority for many countries.[1] According to the DHS 2017-18 data, only 1% of women and men aged 15-49 are covered by health insurance.[2] Through its current Insurance program for strengthening human capital (ARCH), the Government intends to collaborate with a private insurance company[3] to provide health insurance […]
Integration of Health Information Systems to Support Evidence-Based Decision Making for Strategic Purchasing in Tanzania
The government of Tanzania through its Ministry of Health and Social Welfare provides health care services to its citizens through a network of public and non-public facilities. There are approximately 169 data systems of which 149 (82%) capture specific health data and 29 (18%) capture data beyond the health sector (MTR, 2015-2020). Recently, Tanzania has […]
What can we learn from Benin’s population targeting strategy for the national health insurance scheme?
Context: Benin’s government is redesigning their social protection systems to facilitate access to healthcare for its citizens and accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) (Assogba et al. 2018). Out-of-pocket payments constitute 38.6% of healthcare expenditure in Benin – a significant financial barrier to accessing health services for majority of Benin’s population . (Wright et […]
Developing a Single National Health Insurance in Tanzania Has Been a Long Journey of Incremental Changes and Stakeholder Engagement
Introduction The Tanzanian Government has a goal to provide equitable access to a standard Minimum Benefit Package (MBP) for every citizen through a new Single National Health Insurance (SNHI). To actualize this goal, the government needs to develop the National Health Insurance Infrastructure defined in a Health Financing Strategy and enacted through a National Health […]
Implementation of Universal Health Insurance in Burkina Faso: Challenges of Involving Pre-existing Insurance Mechanisms
In 2015, Burkina Faso adopted a law on universal health insurance scheme (RAMU), which is compulsory for all. This blog examines the issue of involving existing insurance mechanisms in the implementation of this scheme. Health insurance provision is not well developed in Burkina Faso, where about 2% of the population, mostly employees in the public […]
Assurance maladie sociale et achats stratégiques de soins de santé au Nigeria
Les Nigérians sont environ 4,3 % à être inscrits dans l’un ou l’autre des régimes d’assurance maladie sociale. La Caisse nationale d’assurance maladie (NHIS) est la structure responsable de l’assurance maladie sociale. Elle a pour principale fonction d’établir des directives et des normes pour les programmes d’assurance maladie sociale dans le pays. La NHIS assure […]
Social Health Insurance and Strategic Health Purchasing in Nigeria
Social Health Insurance and Strategic Health Purchasing in Nigeria In Nigeria, there are about 4.3% of Nigerians registered in one form of social health insurance programme or the other. The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is the agency responsible for social health insurance. It provides the primary purchasing function of setting guidelines and standards for the social […]
STRATEGIC HEALTHCARE PURCHASING ARRANGEMENTS WITHIN THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE FUND (NHIF) IN TANZANIA
Author: August Kuwawenaruwa As many countries in Africa aim to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Strategic Health Purchasing has received growing attention in Tanzania, a low and middle-income country. Purchasing is among the three core functions of healthcare financing, where pooled revenue is allocated to health providers in return for the provision of healthcare services […]