The Tanzanian government has stopped the implementation of new rates for the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) following pressure from private hospitals and specialised medical service providers.

In new charges effective January 1, the Fund reduced the payments it would cover for medical consultation and treatment, forcing the private health sector operators to protest, threatening to withhold services from NHIF cardholders.

The Fund issued a directive with the new rates on December 18, saying it aimed to reflect market prices.

However, the Association of Private Health Facilities in Tanzania (APHFTA) said the revised fees would cause huge losses, citing the high costs of running their facilities.

Health minister Ummy Mwalimu Thursday held a day-long meeting with the stakeholders, following which she announced the suspension of the rates.

About 20 million people in Tanzania are registered with the NHIF scheme, most of them being government employees.

Ms Mwalimu said she would establish an independent commission to review the rates of the NHIF medical services package.

Under the new package, the costs covered for blood filtration (haemodialysis) dropped from Tsh240,000 ($95) to Tsh200,000 ($79) per patient.

Hernia surgery was reduced from Tsh150,000 ($60) to Tsh110,000 ($43. Consultation fees for specialist doctors were down from Tsh35,000 ($13) to Tsh25,000 ($10), while that for regular doctors had been reduced from Tsh10,000 ($4) to Tsh5,000 ($2).

NHIF revised rates followed the assertion into law of the Universal Health Insurance Bill, approved by Parliament on November 1, 2023, and signed into law by President Samia Suluhu Hassan on December 4.

Some 374 medicines had been added to the NHIF package. - APOLINARI TAIRO, The EastAfrican

Kenya's Health Minister Susan Nakhumicha announced the suspension of operations at 27 hospitals nationwide Friday following a multimillion-dollar loss attributed to fraudulent activities affecting the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

Nakhumicha said the decision follows the exposure of a substantial loss of 20 billion Kenyan shillings ($126.7 million) during an investigation.

"The widespread nature of these alleged fraudulent cases is deeply concerning, the list of implicated facilities includes instances of induced demand, particularly targeting vulnerable citizens, notably older individuals," she said.

Nakhumicha disclosed that an extensive investigation into the fraud uncovered the misappropriation of funds between January and December 2023.

Out of 67 audited hospitals, 27 were found to be engaged in various fraudulent activities, compromising the integrity of the NHIF.

"Fictitious records, manufactured claims, and deceptive practices, such as falsely indicating members undergoing major surgeries while actively at work, have all contributed to defrauding the fund," said the Health Ministry.

The malpractice ranged from inducing sickness to activating dormant NHIF accounts of members to finance medically unwarranted treatments.

Nakhumicha expressed deep concern about the deceptive tactics employed by some hospitals, including the creation of fictitious records and the submission of manufactured claims. - Andrew Wasike, Anadolu Agency

Ten people were arrested over the weekend in Kabale Municipality for allegedly smoking in public.  

They were arrested in an operation headed by Patience Mutetsi, an official from the Tobacco Control  Program in the ministry of Health, Gilbert Mateeka, Kabale district health officer, Andrew Beija, Kabale Municipality health inspector, and the police.   

The operation was conducted in Kigongi, Keita, Nkunda, Rwakarara, and Bugongi. Seven people were arrested after they were allegedly found red-handed smoking in public while three were arrested for displaying and openly selling cigarettes.

Mutetsi said that whereas the law only allows a person to smoke when they are 50 meters away from the public, investigations indicate that this hasn’t been the case in Kabale. She says that the arrested risk being fined.

Mateeka says that authorities have embarked on sensitization to the public to explain how hazardous it is to smoke while in a public place.  

Article 12 of the Tobacco Control Act which was enacted in 2015 prohibits smoking in public places or any public transport and other outdoor places. The offenders of a crime of such nature are liable to pay a fine of 20 currency points or a jail sentence of not less than 6 months by a competent court.      

The law is aimed at protecting the environment from the effects of producing tobacco and exposure to tobacco smoke hence reducing related deaths. - URN/The Observer