THE United Federation of Employers in Zambia (UFEZ) commends the government’s decision to place the National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) back under the Ministry of Health’s supervision.
UFEZ believes this will improve healthcare access and sustainability.
Effective March 26, 2024, NHIMA was transferred back to the Ministry of Health, siignaling a pivotal step towards strengthening healthcare accessibility and sustainability in Zambia.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday, UFEZ President Humphrey Monde expressed confidence in the Ministry of Health’s capacity and competence to effectively achieve the objectives for which NHIMA was established.
Monde highlighted the federation’s optimism that this decision will lead to improvements in critical areas such as addressing drug shortages and ensuring the availability of essential medical supplies.
Monde urged the government to consider including social cash transfer within the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) at the constituency level, emphasising the importance of ensuring access to NHIMA for vulnerable citizens.
Highlighting the need for extending social cash transfer to vulnerable populations, Monde commended the decision by Minister of Community Development, Doreen Mwamba, to have the government cover NHIMA contributions for all social cash transfer beneficiaries this year.
He also suggested that the component of bursary for all students in the country should be allocated to NHIMA so that the scheme does not leave anyone behind.
“Social cash transfer should be extended to vulnerable population so that the NHIMA fund becomes more sustainable,” stated Monde.
“We commend the decision by the Minister of Community Development Mrs. Doreen Mwamba who announced earlier in the year that government will pay NHIMA contributions on behalf of all social cash transfer beneficiaries this year.”
The federation is however concerned about poor service delivery in public health facilities particularly in rural and remote areas of the country during the recent past.
Speaking at the same event the Clinical Officers Association of Zambia garnered support for the Government’s move.
The association’s secretary general Musonda Kamfwa noted that this move will ensure health insurance policies align directly with broader healthcare sector goals.
And Civil Society Health Partnership (CSHP) Chairperson Geoffrey Sandala said NHIMA under the Ministry of Labour was facing challenges and almost collapsing.
Sandala noted that moving NHIMA back was a good idea and the Ministry of Health is the perfect ministry to handle it.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba April 8, 2024.
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