NHIF clarifies on issues that caused public outcry
NHIF Director General Bernard Kunga speaking during the past event. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- "There is fraud going on at different health centers that at some point contributes to misunderstanding of how NHIF operates,"
Dar es Salaam. The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) has clarified claims made through social media platforms which raised concern and public outcry recently.
Among the claims was the use of 2016 guidelines on medicine costs despite the increase and decrease of costs of medicine and tests, plus the requirement of a patient not to be treated at different hospitals using the same medical card within 30 days.
Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, August 11, NHIF Director General Bernard Kunga blamed the whole misunderstanding on misinformation among service providers and patients which resulted into unwarranted panic.
“We are very keen with the kind of service we provide. I understand the nature of our life that there is no way one person can only be limited to just one hospital in month. The main concern was to communicate on the down referral aspect something that makes one patient to be treated to different hospitals for the same disease,” said Kunga.
He said, that with effect from November 1, the government will be in place to review new guidelines that goes along with the World Health Organizations (WHO) recommendations.
“There is fraud going on at different health centers that at some point contributes to misunderstanding of how NHIF operates. NHIF is dealing with service providers who are not loyal and involve themselves in different forms of frauds using NHIF medical card,” he said.
