Friday, March 29, 2024

Coming in of Social Health Insurance excites Doctors

Share

ZMA president Dr. Aaron Mujajati
ZMA president Dr. Aaron Mujajati

The Zambia Medical Association says it is happy that after several years of discussions with government, the Social Health Insurance is becoming a solid reality.

In his 2016 budget analysis, Association President Dr Aaron Mujajati said the Association is now looking forward to its implementation now that the 2016 budget has provided for it.

‘As workers on the frontlines of health service delivery, we have and continue to see the challenges faced by the current health system to meet the growing demand for quality health services despite good government intentions and efforts,’ Dr Mujajati said.

He said the burden is too heavy both for government and individuals seeking health services.

‘We have witnessed the struggles of ordinary Zambians who have to reach deep in their almost empty pockets to pay for health services every time they visited a health facility. We have also seen how Government has been struggling to equitably allocate limited resources to various sectors of the economy,’ he said,
‘Now we can hope to see a much better health financing system and the quality of health services improved. We commend His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu and his government for taking this bold step.’

Dr Mujajati said his Association would like to encourage the government to implement this milestone.

‘Zambia should continue to learn from countries that have had this type of insurance and avoid pitfalls that come with the introduction of a new system. We are confident that we have what it takes as a country to make this system work,’ he said.

Dr Mujajati however cautioned Government not to mix the Social Health Insurance with other existing funds like pensions.

‘We strongly urge you to let it be a standalone fund with its own independent agency and systems. Social Health Insurance has helped poor people enjoy health services that most people with personal means are capable of enjoying,’ he said.

He said the smaller and affordable contributions that individuals are expected to make help spread the cost of high quality healthcare.

‘This will go a long way in bridging the widening gap between the rich and poor as regards access to quality health services. This is precisely what a country like Zambia with high poverty levels requires as the current system wrongly assumes that health services can be funded entirely from the public purse,’ Dr Mujajati said.

‘What we now ask that government as well as the rest of us in civil society must put our heads together in creating awareness among members of the public regarding the workings of a Social Health Insurance and its benefits.’

5 COMMENTS

  1. Fantastic idea if implemented well. I am sure any reasonable Zambian would welcome this idea save for the perception that if the contributions are not ring fenced they will end up being expended on bye-elections. Evidence to support my argument comes from the abuse of rural electrification tax that every motorist pay or has been paying for decades. What makes any form of taxation painful is the failure to control abuse of existing revenue.

  2. My fear is that these same doctors will start charging patients exorbitant prices knowing very that the money is readily available. the scheme will only benefit doctors because there will be an increase of patients visiting their private hospitals.

  3. At last. That’s a good move . There are a lot of lessons others countries who have gone that direction. I enjoyed working with health Insurance scheme in Ghana. I hope we do better than them. Lesson for all is ….. Please distance politics from the scheme …. If not there is room for misusing or misplacing the objectives of health insurance …..

  4. What happened to the health scheme of years ago? I am sorry but nobody trusts Zambian doctors, even the government that trained them opt for overseas treatment. Why do we have that medical school again? It’s a mediocre institution producing mediocre quacks.

  5. There greed cuticles have been activated, reason they are happy. Let there be a law written to curtail possible and eventual misgivings that some doctors shall practice.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading