‘Govt ready for UHI’

ARUSHA: PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa on Wednesday assured the public that the government is well prepared to implement the Universal Health Insurance (UHI) with proper infrastructures that will enable citizens to access quality health services.

Speaking during the opening of a symposium on UHI that brought development partners, health practictioners, government officials and various health stakeholders together, the Premier said the government has successfully managed to improve health provision infrastructures in the country, adding that it is continuing to improve the environment that will enable every citizens to access health services without problems.

The Premier represented President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the ceremony. He said the government has constructed a number of dispensaries, health centres, hospitals and referral hospitals across the country.

He added that the government has also increased modern medical equipment including modern screening machines, hospital beds and many others.

The Premier also said the government is continuing to build capacity for the Medical Store Department (MSD) so that it could be able to supply medicines and other equipment in various parts of the country including in rural villages on time.

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“We are doing everything in our capacity to ensure MSD is doing its job efficiently, medical equipment and medicines must be supplied to all health centres and hospitals on time,” he said.

Mr Majaliwa also called on the Ministry of Health and other health stakeholders to be innovative and ensure they come up with new sources of funding that will support the implementation of the UHI in the country.

He also asked health stakeholders and development partners to cooperate and support the government in its mission to implement UHI. He asked the stakeholders to share ideas, advice and opinion on the proper ways of ensuring healthcare financing system is sustainable.

Mr Majaliwa said that to strengthen the healthcare financing system, the government has already begun taking various steps, including increasing the budget allocation for the health sector.

“We have also established a fund to support those who cannot afford healthcare, identifying specific sources of funding for UHI for vulnerable citizens. In the 2024/2025 budget, 173.5bn/- has been allocated for this purpose,” he said.

Moreover, the Premier insisted that the successful implementation of UHI will be supported by significant investments made by the government in the health sector, including infrastructure development and improvements in diagnostic services.

He noted that the government has invested in the purchase and installation of modern diagnostic equipment for various diseases, stating that there are currently 13 MRI machines, 45 CT scans, 346 digital X-rays and 668 ultrasounds, up from 476 in 2021.

“This progress has enabled access to specialised diagnostic services,” he said.

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Furthermore, Mr Majaliwa said the government continues to ensure the availability of medicines in the country by allocating funds each month for drug purchases.

He said as of October 2024, medicine availability had reached an average of 85 per cent, with dispensaries at 76 per cent, 75 per cent at health centres, 78 per cent in district hospitals 99 per cent in regional referral hospitals and 98 per cent in national, specialised and zonal hospitals.

For her part, Minister for Health, Ms Jenista Mhagama said President Samia has made significant investments in the health sector, recognising that health is vital for national security and development. She added that during the Sixth Phase Government’s leadership, the health sector has been prioritised with a total allocation of 6.2tri/- to enable citizens to access quality healthcare close to their communities.

In his part, the WHO Resident Representative, Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses affirmed that the organisation is committed to supporting the implementation of the Universal Health Insurance programme, aiming to ensure that Tanzanians receive quality healthcare from the village level to the national level.

He commended the government for its commitment to initiating a UHI process as a means tao achieve healthcare for all.

“The implementation of Universal Health Coverage will not only benefit the health of Tanzanians but will also leave a legacy in leadership for Tanzania and Africa as a whole by ensuring that all Tanzanians receive quality healthcare.”