AfricaPress-Tanzania: STAKEHOLDERS in the health sector have been urged to support the government to improve health services by contributing to health systems, including Improved Community Health Fund (ICHF).
Speaking at a ceremony to hand over ICHF cards, Deputy State Minister in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government in charge of health) Dr Festo Dugange, said stakeholders’ contribution was highly appreciated to push the sector forward.
Dr Dugange said major changes were needed in the health sector and that they would be achieved if all stakeholders joined forces with the government to improve health services, including universal health coverage for all.
The insurance was funded by HPSS and PACT Tanzania under USAID Kizazi Kipya programme.
During the programme, HPSS and PACT supported children living in vulnerable situations and other special groups from 361,539 households in 24 regions, including Zanzibar. The programme was worth 4.6bn/-.
“This is a good example for other stakeholders to take a leaf. I sincerely congratulate USAID and PACT on what have been done. This is a remarkable contribution,” said the deputy minister.
However, Dr Dugange called on health workers to be responsive and ICHF to ensure quality services were available on time, including access to medication when a person has health problems.
He added that improved services at health centres would also be a key factor to convince more citizens to contribute to health services.
Moreover, Dr Dugange urged all regional commissioners across the country to mobilise the people to join improved CHF.
He said health insurance helped to reduce health costs by moving better services, including medicine in the country.
For his part, Director of Health, Social Welfare and Nutrition Services in President’s Office (Regional Admnistration and Local Government), Dr Ntuli Kapologwe, also commended development partners HPSS and PACT for their significant contribution to the health sector as the government’s goal was to ensure by 2025 health insurance was available to all citizens.
Dr Kapologwe noted that in nine months since the inception ICHF the government has injected into the facility 2.3bn/-.
He added that contributions from stakeholders would also be sources of income and improve health services, including buying medicine and reagents.
