AfricaPress-Tanzania: National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) is set to register all primary and secondary schools across the country so that students could access medical services with their cards at any health facility certified by the fund.
The Fund’s Head of Compliance Department, Mr Paul Bulolo, told the media recently that NHIF is finalising procedures for establishment of the services.
He said upon completion of the process, the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children as well as the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology will approve the programme to kick off.
“We are sure that most parents are willing to insure their children, but it is quite clear that some of them do not know the procedures. We are therefore set to visit children in schools, who will in turn connect us with their parents and guardians,” he noted.
According to Mr Bulolo, all children who will register for insurance will be required to pay a flat rate amount of 50,400/- each for the period of 12 months.
“It is a voluntary programme, therefore whoever thinks there is need for health insurance will have an opportunity to get one,” he said.
He said NHIF will offer the medical services even to students who are above 18 years.
“The matter here is to provide health services to all children, even those who are above 18-years old as long as they are schooling,” she noted.
He assured that NHIF is well prepared to reach all schools in both rural and urban areas and that the registration process will commence soon after completion of approval process by the said two ministries.
Mr Bulolo said students’ health insurance will ensure provision of reliable health services by enabling students to access services even for health complications that could be difficult for parents to cover.
Moreover, currently, NHIF offers health insurance services to students of higher or any other learning institutions.
A student who is a member of NHIF access medical services with his/ her card at any health facility certified by the fund throughout the country.
NHIF was established under the National Health Insurance Act, Cap 395 with the main objective of ensuring accessibility of health care services to people.
It is a government entity that operates under the Ministry of Health Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MHCDGEC).
The management of the Fund is vested to the Board of Directors while its day to day operations are overseen by the Director General.
The Fund considers health insurance as a societal affair rather than an individual need and thus operates under the principles of risk sharing and solidarity among members.
