Extending health protection in Tanzania

Abstract

The majority of the population in Tanzania are dependent on low and irregular incomes. Many people have been effectively excluded from access to appropriate health care because of the introduction in 1993 of user fees for public health services. Membership of public social security schemes including health insurance is tied to formal employment and only 4 per cent of the labour force is employed in the formal sector. Social disintegration is growing and strategies to sustain livelihood, based on social relationships and networks, are easily strained. On the other hand, new social organizations and systems are being based on profession, occupation or religion. One of their principle objectives is to secure access to health care at any time ? at least at the primary care level.