| dc.description |
Tanzania has made a number of health reforms and programs to ensure the
marginalized groups including older men and women have access to health services.
A good example is the establishment of National Health Financing Reforms and Elderly
Department as part and parcel of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. However,
in spite of these initiatives, Tanzania is still ranked poorly among when it comes to
welfare of the elderly.
The main objective of this study was to make an assessment of the contribution of
Tanzania’s health financing reforms in ensuring access to the elderly. More specific,
the researcher examined affordability, accessibility, adequacy and acceptability of
health care by the elderly, assessing the level of awareness of the payment exemption
for health services by the elderly and to find out the barriers that limit access to health
care for the elderly. For that purpose, the study employed a case study research design
whereby Mwananyamala Hospital was used as case study with a total number of 80
participants. Data was largely collected through interviews, questionnaires,
observations and documentary reviews which helped to get data for the study
objectives.
The study found that there is an improvement in the accessibility of health facilities,
however, availability of healthcare equipment’s and drugs, lack of awareness about
free health services of the elders remain to be issues to be concerned. Also, Lack of
health care services related to elders and lack of special services or priorities scored
higher in terms of mean as the main barriers in the access of health services for old
men and women. It was concluded by the researcher that many of the challenges facing
the provision of free health services for the elders through execution of National Health
Financing Reforms were mainly lack of awareness their exemptions.
The researcher recommends participation of multiple stakeholders to make the
National Health Financing Reforms more successfully. These include but not limited
to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ministry of finance, Social security funds
and medical insurance and health facilities, also DMO, DHO and RHOs. |
|