Effectiveness of Exemption Measure in Providing Healthcare Services among Old People in Tanzania: The case of Kasulu District

Abstract

The study aimed at assessing effectiveness of exemption measure in providing healthcare services for old people in public hospitals in Tanzania. The study was conducted in rural and urban areas of Kasulu district in Kigoma using cross sectional descriptive research design. The total number of respondents engaged in this study was 323. These included 304 old people, four medical doctors, eight nurses, one district medical officer and six social workers. Data were collected by using questionnaire, interview, focus group discussion, observation and documentary review. Qualitative data was analyzed by using thematic method while quantitative data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to obtain frequencies, percentages and statistical measures for triangulation purposes. Study findings revealed that exemption measure was partially implemented and less effective. Healthcare services in public hospitals were not easily accessible for old people under exemption measure. The major challenges affecting exemption measure is lack of essential medicine, bureaucratic procedures in executing exemption process and unofficial payments. The study hereby recommends that the government should enact law to enforce implementation of exemption and increase budget allocation to the health sector so as to increase availability of medicine and diagnostic instruments in public hospitals. Further, since the scope of the study was limited to Kasulu district; there is a need to conduct country survey to assess effectiveness of exemption measure in providing healthcare services for old people in Tanzania.