The head of the Social Welfare Department at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute JKCI Asha Salum has suggested for the National Health insurance.
Fund (NHIF) to retain the Toto Afya Card’ to enable all parents to afford the cost and allow children continue receiving treatment.
On March 9th, 2023. NHIF announced that it would dump the arrangement, an announcement that has received intense criticism from several Actors including parents whose children were enrolled with toto Afya Card’.
According to NHIR, from now on, parents/guardians should register their children as their dependents or through their schools.
On Thursday, the Asma Mwinyi Foundation in collaboration with Bigger Heart Zanzibar, visited children receiving cardiac treatment at JKCI and provided them with various items including toys.
Speaking after receiving the gifts, Asha noted that they receive patients from different parts of the country and that most of them cannot afford medical expense.
*We suggest NHIF to retain the Toto Afya Card’ because most of the parents could afford its costs (50,400/-). Scrapping the service will affect a good number of children from low income earning fam lies, she said.
Salum commended the Asma Mwinyi Foundation and Bigger Heart Zanzibar for visiting and comforting the children.
A Paediatrician from JKCI, Dr Zawadi Edward said the biggest challenge they face is that some parents cannot afford to pay for their children’s surgery.
*In such circumstances, we request stakeholders to assist pay for children in need of surgery. We receive a big number of children with cardiac complications,” she added.
Director of the Asma Mwinyi Foundation, Asma Mwinyi said the foundation has been supporting children and women in collaboration with the Bigger Heart Zanzibar. She said they have been helping in the areas of education and health.
*We have requested for the actual number of children here at JKCI, but our future is to also assist women with cardiac complications,” she said, calling upon other stakeholders to come up and assist the children.
Chairman of the bigger Heart Zanzibar Layla provision of cardiac treatment through construction of the institute, she said in 1980’s it was difficult to give cardiac treatment locally, thus forcing patient to seek medication abroad