HEALTH Minister Jenista Mhagama has affirmed the presence of the Mpox contagious disease in the country, with two individuals being diagnosed with the disease on Friday, 7th March.

In a statement issued yesterday, the minister said one of the diagnosed patients is a lorry driver from a nearby country driving to Dar es Salaam.

The ministry said on the basis of monitoring of disease situations, it received reports of suspicious medical situations of persons with symptoms of rashes on the face, hands, feet and other parts of the body.

The symptoms were accompanied by fever, headache, throat sores, aching of joints and on the back, upon which samples were taken and delivered to the Government Laboratory for investigation, which showed they were Mpox cases, it said.

After the contagious disease confirmation on Sunday March 9, efforts have been taken up with the Regional Administration and Local Governments (President's Office) secretariat to find out if there are similar cases.

Meanwhile, the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) has suspended 13,000 member cards and closed down 11 health facilities due to fraud, saving 22bn/- through enhanced oversight and strict monitoring.

NHIF Director General Dr Irene Isaka made this observation in the capital yesterday explaining achievements of the institution over the past four years, when pointing at efforts of the fund to reduce fraud.

Over the period, 36 employees were found to have engaged in fraudulent activities and faced disciplinary action, she said, elaborating that NHIF conducted 259 investigations at health facilities, leading to the suspension of over 13,000 membership cards.

Some members were misusing the cards, including cases where a college student would lend his card to a pregnant woman for childbirth, she explained, underlining that NHIF has enhanced its fraud control mechanisms by using biometric verification (fingerprint and facial recognition).

This has made it easier to detect and prevent misuse, she stated, affirming that the 36 employees involved in fraud have been reported to their respective professional boards for further action.

Internally, NHIF conducted staff audits, resulting in 15 employees being linked with fraud incidents.

NHIF is no longer closing down entire health facilities for fraud and instead targets specific departments involved in malpractice, such as dental or laboratory units, she said, pointing at significant improvement of NHIF’s financial standing.

By December 2024, the fund posted a surplus of 95bn/-, compared to previous years when it operated at a deficit, she said, asserting that the fund’s financial sustainability has also strengthened and it is now able to cover expenses for one year and two months, compared to only six months previously.

Over the last four years, the government has registered 2.2m new members, raising the fund’s total contribution collection to 2.3trn/-, the director elaborated, hinting that the payment of service providers is now timely, considering the increased number of health services available.

 A total of 2.29trn/- has been paid to service providers treating NHIF members, she said, underlining that 60 percent of NHIF's total medical expenses are now directed toward non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

“In the past, NCDs were more common among the elderly, but now even young people are affected. We have paid 91bn/- in medical claims for elderly patients and 371bn/- for NCD treatments,” she added.