Social Health Insurance: The Issue Arises Again
It has been almost two years since Uganda Health Communication Alliance organised a workshop on the issue of social health insurance. The concept is extraordinarily complex, both technically and politically, and countries as diverse as the United States and Uganda have found it difficult to master.
Perhaps it should come as no surprise, then, that the Ugandan government has been unable to overcome political opposition to the plan it proposed at that UHCA workshop in April 2008. But the Government has not given up.
On 25 February, Evelyn Lirri reported in the Daily Monitor that the government is starting over on the issue. It's earlier proposal would have limited insurance coverage initially to civil servants and expanded it only gradually to cover the whole society after 15 years. But, Lirri reported, the new proposal will seek to provide coverage for everyone at the outset, including people in the informal sector.
Here are some resources that provide useful background on the issue.
- Presentations from the UHCA workshop, which was held 23 July 2008.
- Uganda Health Reporter summarised the workshop in its 11 August 2008 issue.
- The New Vision ran a five-part series exploring health insurance issue 4-7 August 2008. Pg1, pg2, pg3, pg4, Pg5
Background:
A WHO overview of the issue: http://www.who.int/health_financing/documents/pb_e_05_1-universal_cov.pdf. (WHO has a wealth of information about health systems financing: http://www.who.int/healthsystems/topics/financing/en/index.html)
An overview that focuses on Africa: http://www.iss.nl/DevISSues/Articles/Social-health-insurance-how-feasible-is-its-expansion-in-the-African-region
Another overview: http://www.eldis.org/id21ext/h1hsrc1g1.html
Community Health Insurance in Uganda: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/10/33
Health companies that offers health insurance services in Uganda
AAR Health Services Tel: 0414255991
Angelica Medical Services Tel: 0772 610831
Bugolobi Hospital Tel: 0414 222354
Case Medical Centre Tel: 0772 522681
Kololo Hospital Tel: 0414 231935
Family Nursing home Tel: 041-268527
Fort Lugard Medical centre Tel: 0414257329
International Medical centre Tel:041-341291,342608
For emergencies call , 0772-741291,0772-200400/1
JODA Clinic Tel: 0414 230864
Kadic Hospital Tel: 0414-543723,543726,077-406612
Kampala Medical Chambers Tel :0414-348846,077-505013
KIM’s Medical Centre Tel: 0772 500601
Sas clinic Tel: 0414-345325
Sim’s Medical Centre Tel: 041340084,077-500601
