Photo: Isaiah Maghanga, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0NHIF packages compared: Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Mikumi, Serengeti, Tanzanite
The universal basic package
Bima ya Afya kwa Wote started on 26 January 2026 with households that cannot pay, whose cover the government funds. The basic package costs TZS 150,000 per household of up to six people (NHIF).
NHIF packages and yearly prices
Beyond the universal basic package, NHIF sells five packages to individuals and families. Yearly contributions from NHIF's packages flyer (August 2025), in TZS:
| Who | Tarangire | Ngorongoro | Mikumi | Serengeti | Tanzanite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child 0–17 | — | 240,000 | 432,000 | 660,000 | 1,500,000 |
| Adult 18–35 | 168,000 | 432,000 | 480,000 | 792,000 | 2,712,000 |
| Adult 36–59 | 192,000 | 540,000 | 744,000 | 1,620,000 | 2,880,000 |
| Adult 60+ | 240,000 | 708,000 | 1,140,000 | 3,336,000 | 6,708,000 |
| Couple 18–35 | 330,960 | 820,800 | 945,600 | 1,504,800 | 5,342,640 |
| Couple + 4 children, 36–59 | 843,840 | 1,890,000 | 3,141,840 | 5,454,000 | 11,493,600 |
- Where you are treated: Tarangire covers dispensaries up to regional referral hospitals; the other four packages cover more than 10,000 facilities up to national hospitals, by referral.
- Waiting period: 30 days after you register and pay.
- Renewal: within 30 days of expiry, or you re-join as a new member.
- Dependants: a spouse and up to four children under 21; families get up to 10% off dependants' contributions.
- Dialysis, cancer and delivery: covered with a 50% co-payment. CT and MRI scans are not covered by Tarangire.
- How to join: online at selfservice.nhif.or.tz, one lump-sum payment; NHIF's free helpline is 199.
Which package for whom?
- Tarangire — the lowest price; treatment from dispensaries up to regional referral hospitals; no CT or MRI.
- Ngorongoro, Mikumi, Serengeti — more than 10,000 facilities up to national hospitals, by referral; the higher the package, the larger the share of CT/MRI covered.
- Tanzanite — the widest package and the highest price.
Compare the benefit schedule of each package on NHIF's packages page before paying, and see health insurance in Tanzania for private cover.
What would you like to do now?
Frequently asked questions
How much is NHIF in Tanzania?
From TZS 168,000 a year for an adult aged 18–35 on Tarangire, up to several million shillings for a family on Tanzanite; the universal basic package is TZS 150,000 per household of up to six.
When does NHIF cover start?
After a 30-day waiting period from registration and payment.
How do I join NHIF?
Online at selfservice.nhif.or.tz with one lump-sum payment; NHIF's free helpline is 199.