Health Reporter
Over the past decade, the percentage of Zimbabweans with medical insurance has remained stubbornly below 10%, primarily due to the challenges posed by a highly informalized economy.
This stagnation in medical aid coverage was highlighted by Ms. Shylet Sanyanga, the chief executive of the Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ), during a recent event.
“It has never moved, quite honestly. From like, I would say even over the past, over the past ten years. It’s really stunted, it’s stunted growth, it’s really stunted growth,” she said.
She explained that most people were leaving their medical aid societies due to various reasons.
Ms. Sanyanga pointed out that the lack of formal structures to enforce regular contributions from individuals in the informal sector has significantly hindered growth in medical aid membership. Many people are opting out of their medical aid societies, often prioritizing immediate financial needs over healthcare coverage.
This has resulted in high default rates among members, as individuals frequently choose to allocate their limited resources elsewhere.
“The major reason is that most of the people are in the informal sector. So, there are no structures to enforce collection, regular collection. And what has happened in the past is that some medical societies that have tried to go into that sector have experienced a number of dropouts.”
The inability to collect reliable statistics on defaulters further complicates the situation, as many medical societies struggle to maintain their membership base.
Despite the challenges, there is a push for innovation in the healthcare sector. During the launch of a new medical cover product by Salutem, Ms. Sanyanga expressed relief at the initiative aimed at addressing the uncovered 90% of the population.
“So I would like to congratulate Salutem on behalf of the Association for this initiative. We’ve always been urging our members to be innovative.
“But most of the time we’ve been seeing players coming onto the market, but coming to fight for the 10% that is covered. That number hasn’t grown over the years. It’s just about 1.7 million lives covered by the funders, “she said.
She emphasized the importance of tapping into this large segment rather than competing for the small percentage already covered.
Salutem’s Managing Director, Mr. Ruka Nyoka, introduced a US$1 healthcare product designed to provide essential coverage for those currently without medical insurance. This initiative aims to alleviate the burden on public healthcare facilities and improve access to necessary medical services for the majority of Zimbabweans.
“We understand the challenges that many face when it comes to accessing healthcare, which has left over 14 million Zimbabweans without any form of medical cover. This in turn has led to congestion at public centers and added pressure to the fiscus.
“It is against this background, ladies and gentlemen, that we have introduced our innovative $1 product, the One Health, a groundbreaking offering designed to provide essential healthcare coverage at an affordable cost,” he said.
NetOne’s chief executive, Raphael Mushanawani, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the collaboration as a crucial step towards expanding healthcare access and moving towards Universal Healthcare in Zimbabwe.
“This collaboration with Salutem reflects our collective response to the need for expanded healthcare coverage in Zimbabwe, where many of citizens are currently without medical cover. Salutem’s One Dollar Product offers an affordable gateway to essential healthcare services, reducing strain on public facilities and easing pressure on the national health budget.
“Together, we aim to extend quality healthcare access nationwide, a fundamental step toward Universal Healthcare,” he said
The persistent low rate of medical aid coverage in Zimbabwe underscores the need for innovative solutions and targeted strategies to engage the informal sector.
With new initiatives like Salutem’s affordable healthcare product, there is hope for improving access to medical services and enhancing the overall health of the population.
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