Health financing strategy development in Tanzania: observations on a lengthy policy process

The need for comprehensive, locally appropriate financing policies and strategies to move countries towards Universal Health Coverage is readily acknowledged by politicians and technicians alike. Mainland Tanzania committed to the development of a comprehensive health financing strategy in 2009 in the third Health Sector Strategic Plan, yet by the end of 2016 the primary reforms proposed in the strategy still hadn’t been adopted by Parliament. This presentation outlines the process and offers a personal view of some key factors which have influenced this and the design of the strategy, and others which have presented challenges to moving from words to action.