TANZANIA: On Day of the Sick, Religious Leaders Insists On Universal Health Insurance
Religious leaders under the umbrella of Inter-faith in Tanzania have called on government to put effective measures for the availability of special funds for health insurance, also to ensure access to health care for people and households who are not able to afford health services.
Religious leaders disclosed this recently through their public message to the country during the day of the sick which was celebrated by Catholic Church in Musoma Catholic Diocese.
Rt. Rev. Michael Msonganzila of Musoma Diocese reading the message on behalf of interfaith in Tanzania, called upon government through the National Social Fund (NHIF) to review health insurance funds policy so that they can help those who are unable to support themselves.
“As we celebrate World Patient Day, we religious leaders insist on quality health insurance for all Tanzanians. Our focus is on those who are poor and cannot afford the monthly contribution,” he said.
They also insisted that it is very important for every Tanzanian to recognize the importance of good health through Health Insurance which is the only way to get health care services very where and anywhere in the country.
“In the Gospel of John 10: 10 Jesus says, ‘I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly’. We as Religious leaders applaud and acknowledge the Government’s efforts to create an integrated Health Insurance (ICHF) system aimed at reaching every citizen. However, it has been proven that 28% of Tanzanians, which is equivalent to 14.2 million Tanzanians or approximately 3 million households (according to National Statistics Institute), are poor so they do not have the ability to pay for insurance to cover health care,” he said.
The religious leaders said that they have a responsibility to ensure that these poor citizens are enabled to access quality health care across the country and that as part of a community, they have a responsibility to encourage all families who have the ability to join health insurance cover to do so to ensure access to quality health care.
“We urge government to put in place effective funding mechanisms for health insurance and donor mechanisms and ultimately to ensure access to health care for people and households who cannot afford health care,” said Bishop Msonganzila on behalf of the country’s ecumenical body.
Director of Social Services at Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) Jovin Riziki reading the message of Pope Francis said that a patient must be given immediate support from family and the surrounding community before being taken to hospital.
Those who take care of the sick should maintain good relations with their patients as well as have a language to encourage their patients.
Every year the Catholic Church in the world celebrates a day of prayer for the sick and health care workers. This year in Tanzania, Mass was held in Musoma Catholic Diocese at the Kowak Parish and Bishop Msonganzila and lay faithful visited Kowak Hospital then to comfort the sick and gave them various gifts.
By Sarah Pelaji
Tanzania Episcopal Conference
