Since 1991, successive Zambian Governments have pondered the prospect of introducing a National health Insurance Scheme. By 2011 the need to introduce the NHIS in line with the Universal Health Coverage agenda had gained momentum. This political will culminated in the signing of the National Health Insurance Act No. 2 of 2018, which led to the establishment of the National Health Insurance scheme (NHIS) under the Management of the National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA).
The board of the National Health Insurance Management Authority was inaugurated on 15th March 2019 in accordance with the NHI act.
The NHIMA Director General and the inception management team has since been appointed to facilitate the implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme, setting Zambia on the road to provision of access to quality essential health-care services to its citizens.
• Abolish Voluntary Medical Scheme & replace it with a compulsory Zambia National Health Insurance
• JTC appointed
• Design report on the proposed National Health Insurance Scheme and provide actuarial evidence for establishment of a NHI scheme
• Provincial sensitisation and consultative meetings
• A tour to study Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme
• Engaged consultant (BEMVI Associates) to draft the Bill
• Stakeholder Consultative Meeting to review and build consensus
• Provincial consensus building meetings
• Consolidated NHI draft bill after taking into consideration inputs from provincial consensus building meetings
• Review the draft NHI Bill and issue drafting instructions to MoJ
• Study tour to Rwanda
Finalization of NHI Bill
First reading done
• Parliamentary Committee Stage
• Second Reading done
Third Reading done
• The President Edgar Lungu assented to the Bill. It is now law.
• Board of the National Health Insurance Management Authority appointed.
• Appointment of the Director General of the National Health Insurance Management Authority.
The Statutory Instrument No. 63 of 2019 signed by Hon Dr. Chitalu Chilufya the Minister of Health.
Commencement of the Implementation of the National Health Insurance scheme
