Why Tanzania should invest in universal health insurance

Dar es Salaam. Amref Health Africa in Tanzania has advised the government to start with universal health insurance (UHI) for it to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030.

According to statistics availed by Amref’s country director Florence Temu yesterday, at the moment only 32 per cent of Tanzanians have been covered under health insurance schemes. “Achieving universal health coverage is one of the key milestones of improved health and wellbeing, whereby social protection such as universal health insurance (UHI) is viewed to be a major driver,” said Dr Temu in her statement released to media outlets yesterday.

Dr Temu also commended government’s commitment to roll out universal health insurance in order to reduce the increasing cost of out of pocket health financing. “Once again I congratulate the government on this important milestone towards achieving the universal health coverage,” she wrote in her statement.

As a leading private health stakeholder in Tanzania, she further assured of her office’s commitment and determination to using its experience and resources to complement government’s efforts towards achieving the UHC by 2030.

“Innovation and strong partnership between public and private sectors is required to ensure that Tanzanians have sustainable access to better and quality health services in both public and private health facilities,” she wrote.