Health Financing In Tanzania; The Impact Of Chf On Health Services Provision: A Case Of Dodoma Municipal Council, Dodoma

ABSTRACT

The study has focused on the assessment of the impact of Community Health Fund on health services provision in Tanzania specifically in Dodoma Municipality. It was guided by four specific objectives which were: to describe the activities done by CHF in provision of health services in the study area, to assess the contributions of Community Health Fund (CHF) on the financing health services in the study area, to examine the uses of CHF on purchase of health medicines and supplies as well to analyze the perceptions of CHF beneficiaries on health provision and improvement. The study has used a cross sectional research design and the sample sizes of 100 respondents were employed. Data were collected by using social survey and interview methods in which questionnaires, interview guides and documentary reviews were used as tools for data collection. The collected data were analyzed by using both quantitative and qualitative techniques, with the help of computer software SPSS Version 21 basing on research objectives. Findings have revealed that CHF was involved in the provision of medicine while its members were not involved in the activities performed by CHF, also there was no training enrolled by CHF in Dodoma Municipality. However, CHF members joined CHF for the purpose of accessing reliable health services to their family members and were satisfied with operation and services which were provided in the study area. Furthermore, majority of them said that, there were differences in the health services provision after enrollment into the CHF in Dodoma Municipality and most were satisfied with the services provided by CHF at a moderate level. The study has recommended that, the government should ensure the availability of human resources whom could cover all centers where CHF operates so as to ensure an effective collection of funds, immediate fund processing and proper utilization of them. The CHF management should ensure an effective monitoring cost which is proportional to the income generated so as to avoid an over expenditure and mis allocation of funds. Lastly, CHF members should be involved in different activities which were performed by the CHF in order to ensure a full participation through different training, workshops and seminars so as to improve the services provided by CHF in the Dodoma Municipality.