Tanzania healthcare market insights 2019

Healthcare infrastructure

According to Export.gov, the Tanzanian government has shown commitment to building new healthcare facilities, but many public healthcare facilities already are under staffed and therefore unable to service patients as required. Inadequate maintenance of infrastructure and equipment acerbates the problem.

Health insurance

UNICEF has reported that health insurance coverage in Tanzania has been growing steadily. A single national health insurance holds the hope of increasing the resources available for health and providing basic universal health coverage.

Furthermore, according to UNICEF, health insurance coverage has grown in recent years although coverage of special groups (those requiring agovernment subsidy to access care) dropped in FY 2016/2017. Health insurance holds the hope of increasing the resources available for health and providing basic universal health coverage. The number of people covered by the National Health Insurance Fund increased by 13% from FY2016/2017 to March 2018. The number of registered health providers has expanded rapidly. Membership of Community Health Funds expanded by 9% from FY 2016/2017 to March 2018.

Medical devices

Medical devices are regulated by the Tanzanian Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and devices are classified according to risk into Classes A, B, C, and D. Once an application has been accepted and paid for, the evaluation process will take up to 270 days and licenses issued in Tanzania are valid for five years. An authorised representative is required in order to register a medical device in Tanzania.