New NHIF boss’ to-do list: Equity and Accessibility
DAR ES SALAAM: The new boss is in the office. Dr. Irene Kisaka, an experienced economist, is the new Director General of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), taking over from Bernard Kongo, whose tenure has ended
Dr. Kisaka assumes her role following recent appointments by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, which also affected the health sector.
The new NHIF czar comes in at a time when Tanzania is implementing the Universal Health Insurance (UHI) policy. The policy received approval from Members of Parliament and is awaiting President Samia’s final approval.
At the end of last year, 2023, the Head of State signed the Universal Health Insurance bill into law, marking a significant step toward improving healthcare accessibility in Tanzania.
As NHIF is a key stakeholder in the implementation of this policy, Dr. Kisaka’s main role is to ensure that Tanzanians experience noticeable improvements in accessing health services in their respective areas.
The primary goal of UHI is to enable Tanzanians, especially those with limited financial resources, to access quality healthcare services without cost barriers. This is the essence of the term ‘universal.’
The Universal Health Insurance policy represents a significant step toward achieving universal health coverage, a core objective of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
By providing health insurance for all, Tanzania is setting a regional precedent for prioritizing health equity and accessibility.
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Dr. Kisaka takes office at a time when health insurance coverage in Tanzania remains relatively low. In a country with over 60 million people, only 15.3 percent of the population is covered.
This figure is broken down as follows: eight percent by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), six percent by the improved Community Health Fund (iCHF), and the remaining 1.3 percent by other private health insurance providers.
To truly achieve ‘universal’ coverage, it is clear that the new boss will have no time to rest until these figures increase.
Cooperation from her subordinates, board of directors and the management as well as support from the newly appointed Health Minister Ms. Jenista Mhagama, and both the public and private sectors, will be crucial in helping the Tanzanian government realize the objectives set by the Universal Health Insurance (UHI) policy.
