Tanzania unveils plans to enroll all poor households into a Universal Health Insurance scheme

DODOMA: THE Tanzanian government has announced plans to enroll all poor households into a Universal Health Insurance scheme by the 2028/29 financial year, in a major move aimed at expanding access to healthcare for low-income citizens.

The Minister for Health, Mohamed Mchengerwa made the statement in Dodoma noting that the initiative is part of the government’s implementation plan following recommendations from the Parliamentary Budget Committee on the Universal Health Insurance Programme.

Elaborating, the minister stated that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data shows that 26.4 percent of households in mainland Tanzania, about 3.9 million households, are classified as economically vulnerable, with 931,693 already identified as eligible for government-funded health insurance.

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Additionally, Mr Mchengerwa said the government will complete identification of remaining eligible households over the next three years, from the 2026/27 to 2028/29 financial years, ensuring full coverage for those unable to afford healthcare.

Moreover, he said that in the first year alone, the government will fund 931,693 households, while 276,004 households have already begun being enrolled into the system.

Furthermore, he said that increased government investment in the health sector has improved service delivery nationwide, with an average of 46 million patient visits and 1.8 million hospital admissions recorded annually across health facilities.