Clerics Want Universal Health Coverage Bill Fast Tracked

RELIGIOUS leaders have advised the government to expedite the process to table the Universal Health Coverage Bill in parliament, in order to help all Tanzanians to have access to medical services.

Also, the clerics suggested that because 15 million of Tanzanians (about 26.4 per cent) of the country's population or about 3 million households were food poor, there was a need for the government to think of footing the bills for their insurance cover so that they can have free access to medical services.

Speaking in Dodoma recently, the Interfaith Standing Committee on Economic Justice and Integrity of Creation (ISCEJIC) Co-Chairman, Sheikh Khamis Mataka said since 2017, religious institutions under the Muslim Council of Tanzania (BAKWATA), Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) and Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), were at the forefront in pushing for the campaign on health social security.

"This campaign was preferred by the research dubbed 'Make it Possible' which had three key objectives---identifying the status of provision of health services in the country, advising the government on how best it can improve health delivery services as well as participation of religious institutions and clerics on how to improve health services," noted Sheikh Mataka.

According to him, the findings revealed among other issues that for almost a decade the health budget on average stood at 10 per cent, against the recommended 15 per cent of the Abuja declaration that at least the government should allocate from the national budget.

Also, the findings revealed that in contribution, the government only provides 35 per cent, Development Partners 37 per cent, while private health providers contributes about 28 per cent.

Speaking at the occasion, TEC Secretary General, Chesco Msaga said because of the research findings, the clerics issued different recommendations, among them, the government in collaboration with other stakeholders should make sure that Tanzanians are educated so that they register with CHF.

"Also we suggested that the government should strengthen Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in order to improve provision of service delivery as well as improve funding for the National Health Insurance," said Msaga.

Also, according to CCT Secretary General, Rev Cannon Matonya, the government through the service agreement should consider putting up a special budget for the Private sector in health.

He added that the government should also identify and put up priorities in employing enough health care providers if the universal health coverage will become a compulsory matter.