SHU Brings CHI to Kampala and Wakiso
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Issue 8, June2016 SHU Publication Improving access to quality health care through community health financing SHU brings CHI to Kampala and Wakiso After 15 years of promoting community market vendors, bodaboda associations Scheme members in Kampala and Wakiso health insurance (CHI) in rural areas, Save farmers and savings groups, institutions as will receive services from major non- for Health Uganda (SHU) is introducing the well as individual families. The scheme is profit health facilities around Kampala initiative in Kampala and Wakiso districts directly managed by SHU at its head office in such as Mengo, Rubaga and Nsambya to ease access to health care for families Kampala but maintains offices in Luwero and hospitals. Non-profit facilities were in urban settings. Masaka where over 525 people are already selected to make the scheme affordable benefitting from the services. to families and groups. The CHI model being introduced in Kampala and Wakiso code-named SHU - SHU-CHI offers affordable health insurance Enrolment into the scheme involves CHI scheme was designed for the urban under a non-profit prepayment payment of a membership fee by the population and has been running in arrangement. It covers inpatient and group or family and premium for a year. Luwero and Masaka districts since 2012 outpatient general health care services Every group or family enrolled in the and 2013 respectively. including maternity, dental and eye care scheme is represented on the governing services, and general surgery. The health committee of the scheme through which The scheme targets formally and care packages available cover chronic and they participate in selecting services and informally organized groups such as, non-chronic illnesses. health care providers. Luwero program expands to more sub-counties SHU has opened up a satellite office in Luwero district to reach out to more areas with CHI prepayment mechanisms. The office located at Wobulenzi off the Kampala -Gulu highway started full operations in June 2016. Activ ities under the office at Wobulenzi will cover eight sub-counties namely: Bamunaanika, Nyimbwa, Makulubita, Kikyusa, Kamira, Kalagala, Zirobwe and Bombo Town Council. SHU has previously worked in the three sub-counties of Luwero, Katikamu and Butuntumula. SHU’s new office at Wobulenzi in premises formerly occupied by Plan Uganda The decision to extend services to more areas was reached following demands by The new schemes will join Munno Mu providers and paying medical bills on community members and local leaders in Bulwadde Union of Schemes Organisation behalf of scheme members. sub-counties which were previously not (MBUSO) which brings together all CHI covered. SHU plans to have CHI schemes schemes promoted by SHU in the districts of It also helps schemes to pool health formed in every parish in Luwero district. At Luwero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola. care funds, hence strengthening their least 350 residents of one parish form a scheme. SHU will also contract more Based in Luwero Town Council, MBUSO capacity to access a big package of performs technical roles such as negotiating healthcare providers to match the growing quality health care services. for health services, contracting health care number of schemes. Produced by Save for Health Uganda, Plot 580, Ssekabaka Kintu Road Mengo, Rubaga P.O.Box 8228, Kampala; Tel: 0414 271841, Email: [email protected] 1 Networking makes CHI schemes more vibrant As community health insurance (CHI) schemes grow in numbers and reach more communities in different regions, SHU is strengthening their capacity to meet the health care needs of their members through supporting them to federate into networks. Four networks are currently running as umbrella organizations for CHI schemes. They include: Munno Mu Bulwadde Union of Schemes Organisation (MBUSO) for schemes The generic logo for networks of CHI schemes The logo of MBUSO, the umbrella promoted by SHU. organisation for CHI schemes in Luwero, in Luwero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola Nakaseke and Nakasongola districts. districts; Western Ankole Tweragurize The purpose of the network is to support Schemes Association (WATSA) for schemes in networks. Members access extra and strengthen the schemes through benefits beyond what individual Bushenyi, Sheema and Mitooma districts; coordinating activities. The schemes are schemes can offer. Mubende Schemes Cooperation Mechanism using these networks to pool funds (MSCOM) for those in Mubende district; and together in order to maximize health In addition to pooling health care SHU-CHI for all groups and families under the care benefits. This enables members of funds to provide a big package of urban insurance scheme. services for members, networks also individual schemes to be guaranteed of perform other roles on behalf of The membership of networks stands as continuity of health care coverage schemes: promoting the schemes, follows: there are 40 schemes under MBUSO throughout the year without any negotiating with and contracting with 18,040 beneficiaries; WATSA has 33 interruption. This is possible because, health care providers, paying medical schemes with 6,550 beneficiaries; MSCOM even with the low premiums families pay bills of members, managing and has 10 schemes with 2,821 beneficiaries; and to the schemes, they are able to create accounting for schemes funds, and SHU-CHI covers a total of 525 beneficiaries. one big health care fund under the building capacity of scheme leaders. Scheme members’ corner My name is Kafeero Anatooli Kiriggwajjo. I live at by the scheme to pay a member’s medical Nabutaka village in Kyawangabi parish, bill was considered a loan to that Butuntumula sub-county in Luwero district. I am a member’s family. The family would pay member of Kyawangabi Tweyambe Tulwanyise back the money within one month for Obulwadde community health insurance (CHI) outpatients and three months for scheme. inpatient services respectively. I paid back Our scheme started in September 2006. At that the money without any worry because my time, each family paid a membership fee of wife and the child were safe. The scheme UGX200 and a premium of UGX3,600 per person. helped us to get the services we needed That money was put in a pool for paying medical without delay. bills of members in the event of illness. I have remained a member of the scheme Mr Kafeero Anatooli Kiriggwajjo for 10 years because I understood how it I have benefited a lot from the scheme over the operates. I have never regretted the years. I remember the time my wife went into We did not pay money at the decision I made to join the scheme. Some labour when I did not have any money. I rushed hospital because our scheme has an people drop out due to poverty and her to Bishop Caesar Asili Hospital and presented agreement with the hospital to clear limited understanding of how CHI schemes the health care access card issued to us by our medical bills of its members. Our work because they do not attend scheme. She was admitted and received all the scheme was running under a credit sensitization sessions. care she needed during labour and after delivery. mechanism where the money used Produced by Save for Health Uganda, Plot 580, Ssekabaka Kintu Road Mengo, Rubaga P.O.Box 8228, Kampala; Tel: 0414 271841, Email: [email protected] 2 .