Impact of cost sharing in health services in Tanzania: A case of Geita District.

ABSTRACT

A study on the impact of cost sharing was carried out in Geita District focussing on health service provision. A cross sectional research design was adopted involving administration of structured questionnaires to both primary and secondary partners, complemented by relevant documentation from various levels of stakeholders in the study area. Statistical Package for Social services (SPSS) software was employed in data coding and analysis. The study revealed that the aim of cost sharing on health service is good. But the nature of Tanzanians of being poor among the poorer and poor government procedure for sensitizing its policies before implementation impend the target and objectives of cost sharing on health service. More than 67% people earn less than 50,000 per month and more than 10% do not attend at hospital if they become sick. Also, more than 58% of people are not aware about cost sharing on health service. Nevertheless there is a slight improvement of health service as 53% appreciated that health facilities like buildings, medicines, and patient’s beds are at least satisfactory. The study makes the following recommendations in order to improve health service provision under cost sharing policy. The spirit of working very hard in production activities should be done by all Tanzanians in order to reduce the poverty situation. Government should educate its people at all levels such as villages, wards, division, district, region and national in order to make them aware on any policy like cost sharing on health service. Government should set a clear procedure for cost sharing exemption for example old, children, pregnant women, and disabled people. Capacity building should be done to health workers in order to follow all the guidelines and conditions of cost sharing on health service ii provision. These would extend social and economic capital base of the end-users and hence their willingness and ability to pay, which is key to partnership management of the service.