The recently launched Hospital Sente Micro Insurance by Airtel Mobile Commerce Uganda Limited (AMCUL) in partnership with Prudential Uganda and Turaco Insurance Brokers Limited has reached 370,000 clients in four months, officials have said.
According to Japhet Aritho, the AMCUL Managing Director , since the launch of the new insurance product in March ,they have made good progress as part of the efforts to help in the uptake of health insurance in Uganda which is currently less than 1%.
"We are impressed with the positive uptake of the Hospital Sente service since it was introduced to the market a few months ago. The service has been extended to over 370,000 users since we launched it, which showcases the need to design services that address what our people need," Aritho said.
"Good health drives the productivity of any economy because we need a healthy human resource to participate in the different socio-economic activities that drive the country's growth. Micro medical insurance services like Hospital Sente are designed for individuals who might not have the cash to access treatment there and then, but are able to pay at a later date based on the policy they have subscribed to."
According to the new health insurance product by Airtel and Prudential, members pay as low as shs1000 in premium per month and get a shs40,000 cash pay-out for every night spent in hospital, shs3000 premium and ssh60,000 cash pay-out per night for gold members and shs5000 premium and in return shs100,000 pay out per night for platinum members.
On the other side, on the occasion of death, the next of kin for a member on silver plan will receive shs1million to cater for funeral, shs2 million for gold members and shs4 million for platinum members.
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One of the beneficiaries, Moses Hardyson Nangiro, a piggery farmer from Karamoja said he was able to get assistance after running out of cash after being involved in a boda boda accident and admitted to a health centre.
"I opted to engage Turaco, for further assistance via WhatsApp, and within a few minutes I was guided on how to access the benefits and the documents I needed to submit. After a few days, I was able to claim my benefits," Nangiro said.
The AMCUL Managing Director said many people will now be helped in terms of needs, courtesy of the new insurance product.
"Nangiro represents the various people in our communities and across the country who are in constant need of medical services and a product like Hospital Sente can address the inequalities of access to timely and quality health services. If we collaborate with various sector players we can have solutions to such pertinent issues by designing products that improve our people's well-being," Aritho stressed.
