Community Health Funds in Tanzania: A literature review

Abstract

The paper begins by briefly outlining the background of the Community Health Funds (CHF) before examining current trends in: coverage; membership and enrolment; sources of revenue; and expenditure patterns. The report then summarizes the evidence with respect to four key areas of concern, namely: reaching the poor; management and accountability; service provision issues; and future sustainability of the scheme. For each area, the main issues raised in the literature are presented; and each section ends with a summary of areas for future investigation or research. The report concludes by suggesting some ideas for the future operation of CHF in Tanzania