By our Reporter
Dodoma Municipal District Commissioner Jabir Shekimweri has urged local government leaders to step up public education on Universal Health Insurance and encourage residents to enrol, saying the scheme could protect families from medical expenses that push them into poverty.
Mr Shekimweri made the call on October 22, 2026, while representing Dodoma Regional Commissioner Rosemary Senyamule at the launch of the second phase of Universal Health Insurance in the region.
He said access to healthcare was essential to household welfare and economic development, warning that illness could reduce people's ability to work, lower family incomes and affect national productivity.
Universal Health Insurance is intended to strengthen financial protection by helping people access medical services without being forced to sell property, borrow money or delay treatment because they cannot afford the costs.
Mr Shekimweri said local government leaders had a responsibility to ensure that information about the scheme reached all groups, including farmers, motorcycle taxi operators, food vendors, older people and other vulnerable residents.
“Every leader should ask themselves whether citizens in their area understand this scheme, how to enrol and the benefits it offers. We must ensure that education reaches everyone without leaving any group behind,” he said.
He stressed that the success of the programme would depend on cooperation between government leaders, local authorities, healthcare professionals and citizens, rather than being left to health workers alone.
He urged councils to prepare educational leaflets and use public meetings and other communication channels to explain enrolment procedures, benefits and requirements. Residents should also be encouraged to seek clarification whenever they have questions about the scheme.
Mr Shekimweri said the enrolment process should be conducted with integrity, warning public servants against favouritism, corruption and abuse of office. He also emphasised the need to respect applicants' dignity and privacy.
He said expanding insurance coverage must go hand in hand with improving healthcare delivery. Health facilities should have adequate medicines and medical equipment to ensure that enrolled residents can access the services they need.
He also called on the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to process and pay claims submitted by healthcare providers promptly, saying delays could disrupt service delivery and increase complaints from patients and providers.
NHIF Dodoma Regional Manager Irene Kataraihya said the fund was working with leaders of business groups, market associations and other stakeholders to increase awareness and encourage more people to enrol.
She said cooperation with healthcare providers remained important to ensuring that members received quality services.
Ms Kataraihya said the scheme aimed to protect households from the financial burden of medical expenses, which can force families to organise public fundraisers whenever a member falls ill.
She added that NHIF would continue working with stakeholders to expand access to insurance and improve service delivery.
The launch comes as authorities seek to widen public understanding of health insurance and strengthen financial protection against healthcare costs.
However, the scheme's impact will depend not only on enrolment but also on whether members can access timely, quality treatment when they need it. Effective public education, reliable supplies at health facilities and prompt settlement of providers' claims will be important to building public confidence in the programme.