KAMPALA – First Lady and Minister of Education, Janet Museveni has commended Kitojo Integrated Development Action (KIDA), a Rwenzori sub-region community-based organization.
KIDA, a Non-Governmental Organization located in Kabarole district was on Thursday launching its 5-year strategic plan which includes rolling out a community-based health insurance scheme.
Officiating at the event held at Serena Hotel, Mrs Museveni noted that such organisations are needed for their efforts to improve people’s lives, particularly in the areas of access to basic education and health care services.
“I thank KIDA for having programs complementing the already existing government programs in the country and this strategic plan clearly outlines the strategy KIDA will use in realization of its mandate in the next five years and I am quite impressed by the ideas put together in the plan,” said Mrs Museveni who was represented by the State Minister for Primary Education, Moricu Kaducu.
“Throughout the years, KIDA has developed into a vital grassroots community organization for the local people. I applaud you for providing opportunities for training in employable skills through vocational training programs,” she noted.
The founder and Executive Director of KIDA, Rev Canon Ezra Musobozi noted that the NGO currently serving communities of Ruteete and Kasenda sub-counties in Kabarole district but also sub-counties of Kiyombya and Buheesi in Bunyangabu district have rolled out the insurance scheme to aid less privileged families access health services.
“We want to build the capacity of our community-based insurance scheme to be able to provide an avenue to provide an avenue for low-income earners in rural areas to pool resources together so as to access quality health services as and when they are needed as we wait for the national health insurance scheme to be rolled out.”
“We think as we wait for the government to come up with its health insurance scheme, ours will in the meantime enable people pool resources to access health services as and when they need them.”
According to him, for members to benefit they should in groups. He says that a family of four pays shs24000 for a period of three months.
He noted that so far, 1000 members have registered for the scheme but noted this number is still small to enable them enjoy the benefits of pooling resources.
“The insurance scheme gives up to around shs100,000 per person in the quarter for either outpatient or inpatient. Each time a member comes to the facility for an outpatient service, they have to make a small cash payment of shs5000 and if admitted in the hospital ward for any amount of time, they pay only shs30,000 as co-payment.”
He said the insurance scheme has a starting threshold of four but can go up to as many as a family can pay a premium for.
Rev Canon Musobozi, however, noted that there are still challenges of a small number of members who have subscribed to the insurance scheme.
“The number is still small and can’t be sustainable. We are looking at expanding to around 10,000 people but currently, we are struggling to sustain the insurance scheme of the small numbers. People are not up to the concept of insurance and ask how they benefit if they fall sick.”
Speaking about the shs11.6 billion five-year strategic plan, the KIDA Executive Director explained that they are focusing on health as the key area to help improve their capacity in the provision of health services.
He noted that the NGO that started in 1999 will be looking at purchasing a radiology unit and x-ray machine to cost shs850 million to be installed at KIDA hospital as well as a shs250 million ambulance among other items.
The NGO also launched fundraising activities to fund the shs11.6 billion plan.
