{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}{\f1\fnil\fcharset0 Courier New;}{\f2\fnil\fcharset0 Arial;}{\f3\fnil\fcharset0 Calibri;}} {\colortbl ;\red28\green39\blue34;\red39\green52\blue46;\red86\green108\blue106;\red0\green0\blue0;} {\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.21.2509;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\sl-1\slmult0\lang9\f0\fs24\par \pard\li2500\ri43\sb1814\sl-1\slmult0\lang2057\par \pard\li2500\ri43\sl-388\slmult0\cf1\fs22 PERCEIVED QUALITY OF CARE BY NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE \line FUND'S CLIENTS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HEALTH FACILITIES IN \line DAR-ES-SALAAM, TANZANIA \par \pard\li6282\ri1161\sb1694\sl-1\slmult0\cf0\par \pard\li6282\ri1161\sl-235\slmult0\cf1 By \par \pard\li4766\ri1161\sb1656\sl-1\slmult0\cf0\par \pard\li4766\ri1161\sl-259\slmult0\cf1 Ahmed Musa Mwinyimkuu (DDS) \par \pard\li2716\sb2049\sl-1\slmult0\cf0\par \pard\li2716\sl-388\slmult0\cf1 A Dissertation Submitted in (partial) Fulfillment of the Requirements for the \line Degree of Master of Public Health (MPH) of Muhimbili University of Health \line and Allied Sciences. \par \pard\li3998\ri1147\sb2102\sl-1\slmult0\cf0\par \pard\li3998\ri1147\sl-259\slmult0\cf1 Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences. \par \pard\li6033\ri1147\sl-398\slmult0 June, 2010 \par \pard\sl-1\slmult0\cf0\par \par \pard\li6901\ri1\sb86\sl-201\slmult0\cf2\f1\fs19 VI \par \pard\li6220\ri1\sb1219\sl-288\slmult0\b\f0\fs27 ABSTRACT \par \pard\li2620\ri5\sb182\sl-412\slmult0\b0\fs24 Social Health Insurance has obtained increased attention \f2\fs15 III \f0\fs24 African countries\cf3 . \cf2 In \line Tanzania Social Health Insurance was introduced by the establishment of the National \line health insurance Fund (NHIF) in 1999, in order to improve perceived quality and \line quantity of health care by contracting both public and private health facilities in urban \line and rural areas. \par \pard\li2620\ri5\sb580\sl-412\slmult0 A cross sectional study was conducted to explore the perceived quality of care by \line National Health Insurance Fund's (NHIF) clients at accredited Public and Private Health \line facilities in Dar es Salaam. This is following complaints from health services providers \line and even among clients who are insured that they received poor quality though they \line contribute monthly premium to NHIF. Study group consisted of 320 NHIF clients who \line reported in health facilities which were accredited by NHIF. Females accounted 57.5% \line while dependants were 72.5%. The study was conducted in two hospitals, one public and \line another private, two health centers, one public and another private. \par \pard\li2616\ri4\sb542\sl-412\slmult0 In the study 99(65\cf4 .\cf2 1 %) respondents in private hospitals would like to report back \line compared to 97(62.6%) respondents in public hospitals. Generally the health care \line provided were satisfied mostly in private hospital (42.0%) compared to public hospital \line (34\cf3 .\cf2 0%). On drugs availability, 47.0% of respondents in private hospital got all the drugs \line compared to 28.0% in public hospital\cf4 . \cf2 However, for quality of care to improve there \line must be enough drugs, enough qualified medical personals, good infrastructures and \line good interpersonal relationships. \cf0\lang9\f3\fs22\par }