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. 2025 Jun 9;15(6):e090489.
doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-090489.

Barriers to the implementation of an improved Community Health Fund electronic claim process in primary healthcare services in Singida region of Tanzania: a qualitative inquiry

Amani Anaeli  1 , Norberth Peter Massawe  1 , Furaha J Mwakafwila  2 , Malale Tungu  3
Affiliations

Barriers to the implementation of an improved Community Health Fund electronic claim process in primary healthcare services in Singida region of Tanzania: a qualitative inquiry

Amani Anaeli et al. BMJ Open. .

Abstract

Study objective: This study aimed to explore the barriers to the implementation of the improved Community Health Fund (iCHF) electronic-claim (e-claim) process in primary healthcare services in Tanzania.

Design: A phenomenological study design using a qualitative approach.

Setting: In-depth interviews were conducted to collect data from 19 participants from Mkalama and Iramba districts.

Participants: The data were collected from the regional health managers, district health managers, information technology officers, facility in-charges and iCHF focal persons from dispensaries, health centres and hospitals. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data in this study.

Results: This study identified several key barriers to the implementation of the iCHF e-claim process. The barriers include financial governance and oversight, institutional capacity for the iCHF e-claim process, staff negligence in complying with iCHF guidelines, resource availability, and logistical shortcomings for handling iCHF e-claim processes.

Conclusion: The iCHF e-claim process is inadequately implemented and does not attract healthcare workers due to the observed challenges. There is a need for joint efforts to improve the implementation of the iCHF e-claim process involving stakeholders at all levels.

Keywords: HEALTH ECONOMICS; Health Care Costs; Health Equity; Health Services; Health Services Accessibility; Health policy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

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