Give inputs on universal health coverage, VP tasks professional
THE Vice-President Dr Philip Mpango has challenged the country’s health professionals to give inputs for improving health system by focusing on the envisaged Universal Health Insurance (UHI), whose Bill was read for the first time in the Parliament recently.
“If you give proper inputs and motivate people to join health insurance we will achieve what we always desire in the health sector,” the Vice President stated.
Dr Mpango took the stance on Tuesday in a message presented on his behalf by Deputy Minister for Health, Dr Godwin Mollel at the 9th Annual Tanzania Health Summit held in Dar es Salaam.
The summit brought together health professionals from both public and private sectors.
After presenting Dr Mpango’s message, Dr Mollel went on to speak on his own capacity, calling upon participants to discuss various challenges in the sector and offer a way forward.
“Give us inputs on universal health coverage. But, as you discuss about the envisaged health coverage we should also discuss issues that may kill our National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF)…If the NHIF collapses the quality of health services would also collapse, so discuss about making the NHIF sustainable,” he argued.
Dr Mollel further told the professionals to dwell on the issue of costs of health services, noting that some service providers are out to make huge profits.
“We should think of improving health system not businesses, particularly when discussing about UHI,” he said.
The theme for this year’s summit is ‘Quality of Healthcare in Tanzania: the current status and areas of improvement toward achieving Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP V 2021-2026).’
Eelier, ministry’s Permanent Secretary Prof Abel Makubi said the quality of health services is the government’s key agenda, and it was encouraging to see stakeholders have taken it up.
“The issue of quality services should not just be on treatment but should start from the medical trainings at colleges,” he said.
He said for the past ten years, the government has done major improvements in the health sector, adding: “But, we should continue improving by joining hands.”
The Health Promotion and System Strengthening (HPSS) Tuimarishe Afya Project, a Swiss-Tanzania Cooperation Project, funded by the Swiss Government and implemented by Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute is one of the main sponsors of the summit.
The HPSS aims at promoting continued collaborative efforts of the public and private sector in ensuring delivery of quality healthcare to the Tanzanian population.
“During the summit, HPSS project will showcase its contributions towards the achievement of HSSP V through project innovations, specifically the improved Community Health Fund (CHF Iliyoboreshwa) and the complementary health commodities supply chain, said Ally Kebby, Project Manager at HPSS project.
