Tanzania has taken a decisive step towards guaranteeing healthcare for all citizens after the government unveiled far-reaching reforms aimed at paving the way for the rollout of Universal Health Insurance (UHI), a system that will make health insurance a legal right rather than a voluntary choice.
Announcing the reforms in Dodoma, the Minister of Health, Mohamed Omary Mchengerwa, said the initiative reflects President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s commitment to building a fair, efficient and accountable health system that leaves no Tanzanian behind.
He said the move to UHI, popularly known as Bima ya Afya kwa Wote, marks a historic shift in the way healthcare is financed and delivered in the country.
Central to the reform agenda is a rapid transition to a fully digital health system. Within three to six months of the UHI launch, the government plans to introduce a unified national digital platform that will link health service delivery with insurance operations.
Under the new arrangement, paper-based claims will be phased out, while services that are not digitally verified will no longer be recognised.
The system will integrate medical records, electronic prescriptions, claims processing and payments, a move the government says will curb financial leakages and ensure greater transparency in the use of health funds.
The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) is set to assume an expanded role under the new framework.
No longer confined to paying claims, the fund will become a central pillar in managing the health system, with a stronger mandate to ensure financial stability and efficient use of resources.
The ministry believes a strengthened NHIF will be critical in sustaining universal coverage and guaranteeing reliable access to healthcare services nationwide.
Addressing the issue of rising healthcare costs, the minister pointed to medicines and medical equipment as the biggest cost drivers in the sector.
He directed the Medical Stores Department (MSD) to enhance digital tracking systems across the entire supply chain, from procurement to the patient.
At the same time, the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA) will expand its oversight to cover both public and private suppliers, ensuring comprehensive regulation of the market.
According to the government, tighter control of the supply chain is essential to protect the financial health of the UHI system.
Quality of care has also been placed at the centre of the reforms. National and referral hospitals have been instructed to pursue international certifications, including globally recognised standards such as ISO.
Mchengerwa stressed that quality healthcare is driven by leadership, systems and accountability, rather than the size of a hospital’s budget alone.
He said Tanzanian hospitals must rise to international standards as the country moves towards universal coverage.
To support effective leadership during the transition, the Ministry of Health is introducing a governance framework known as “Decision Protection” (Ulinzi wa Maamuzi).
The framework is intended to shield leaders who make lawful, evidence-based decisions in the public interest from undue political or commercial pressure.
At the same time, the minister issued a warning against delays and complacency, saying negligence and a “business as usual” approach would not be tolerated.
The government is also preparing a nationwide public education campaign to ensure citizens understand the new system.
The campaign will focus on educating Tanzanians about their rights and responsibilities under UHI, as well as promoting the responsible use of health services to help contain costs and safeguard the system’s sustainability.
“This is not the agenda of a single institution,” the minister said. “It is the President’s agenda and the national agenda.”
With the reforms now set in motion, the government says Tanzania is laying a strong foundation for a health system in which access to care is guaranteed by law, supported by digital innovation, strong institutions and clear accountability, signalling a new chapter in the country’s pursuit of universal healthcare.