Safaricom is partnering with CarePay and PharmAccess to create a mobile health wallet called M-TIBA that will see users send, save and receive funds to access healthcare services using mobile phones.
The national roll-out has so far registered 45,000 people with 60 healthcare providers on board. To encourage healthcare savings, the Pfizer Foundation is funding the first M-TIBA bonus scheme.
This sees the first 100,000 users – who register and deposit Kshs. 100 or more per month – receiving a monthly bonus amount of Kshs. 50 for up to 12 months. UAP Insurance is also offering them 12 months personal accident cover for the principal member and one spouse, up to the value of Kshs. 8,000.
The funds will be used in selected healthcare providers who form part of the M-TIBA network.
EXPANDING NETWORK
The 60 M-TIBA healthcare providers in Nairobi have been activated from the 2,000 healthcare facilities nationwide, which are contracted to CarePay. In the coming months M-TIBA will be rolled out to hundreds more healthcare facilities nationwide, serving all income groups.
“M-TIBA allows individuals and organizations to distribute funds for healthcare to people who rely on them. They can be sure that those funds will be used for healthcare only. And they know that their dependents are being treated at clinics that charge fair prices and follow internationally recognized quality standards.” Said Michiel Slootweg, CEO, CarePay
Bob Collymore, CEO, Safaricom says: “For many Kenyans a trip to the clinic can create real financial strain. And it can have a knock-on effect in people holding down jobs, or having to sell their belongings to pay for basic care. M-TIBA can extend and transform essential services for millions of Kenyans. This is just the start of what we can do together to transform Kenya’s healthcare sector.”
Users can be registered on M-TIBA through an M-TIBA agent, or self-register by dialing *253# on their mobile phones.
