THE National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and Zanzibar Health Service Fund (ZHSF) yesterday signed an agreement to enable Zanzibaris to get health insurance services through NHIF-registered centres using ZHSF cards.

Under the arrangement that comes to force on 1st July, 2024, some 6,000 people from the isles working in government and private offices, formal and informal sector in addition to over 6,000 dependents will now access health services just like mainland residents.

Addressing a press conference here yesterday, NHIF Director General Benard Konga said the agreement applies to employees or workers in public and private sector; workers in informal sector, foreigners living in Zanzibar whose residence exceeds six months, retirees, students studying in colleges or institutions of higher education in Zanzibar,.

He added that in order to carry out the mandate as per Act No 1 of 2023, ZHSF, and by acknowledging experience that NHIF has in implementing health insurance services in the country, it will from next month start providing services at centres registered by NHIF in the mainland.

Konga explained that officials from the two health funds had two days of deliberations before yesterday’s signing, adding that preparations for the cooperation are at advanced stages.

Some of the preparations, he said, include notifying all the service providers who have agreed to serve the clients brought by the new arrangement and that all regional offices are ready to provide services.

On the other hand, identification systems have been strengthened to ease the process whenever clients seek services at the registered centres and immediate disbursement of funds as soon as the customers get services.

ZHSF Director General Yaasin Ameir Juma said that the fund is a new institution established under Act No 1 of 2023 to provide health services to residents of Zanzibar at affordable cost and sustainable sources for health services.

He explained that the fund started implementation of its duties and registration of public servants in June, 2023 and by October, 2023, the registered centres started providing services in Zanzibar while registration of private sector members began in March, 2024 as registration for non-formal sector members is still underway.

He said compulsory health insurance in Zanzibar applies to all employees or workers in the public and private sector; workers in the informal sector, foreigners living in Zanzibar whose residence exceeds six months, retirees, students studying in colleges or institutions of higher education in Zanzibar.

According to him, under the new arrangement, ZHSF will collaborate with NHIF in the programme implementation.

According to East African cooperation, members of insurance funds in individual countries should have access to health services in any country in the regional bloc.