Members

Western Ankole Tweragurize Schemes’ Association (WATSA) is a network that brings together under a single umbrella all Community Health Insurance sub-schemes formed by Save for Health Uganda (SHU) in Greater Bushenyi and locally known as Tweragurize schemes. WATSA is registered and operates legally in all the districts within its jurisdiction (i.e Bushenyi, Sheema, and Mitooma districts).

Previously individual sub-schemes were operating independently by managing their funds, contracting health care providers, advocating for quality health care services, purchasing health care services that were risky, costly, and unsustainable yet all CHI sub-schemes had the same goal.

SHU the promoting agency of CHI schemes found it necessary to form a network (WATSA) so as to unite all the CHI sub-schemes to achieve their goal by increasing the pooling levels, managing a joint account, contracting and purchasing health care services, increasing visibility, and having a bigger recognition and voice in advocating for quality health care services.

Year Founded: 2011

Registration Status: CBO

Registration Number: Bushenyi District: Reg No.311/1/2/3/BLG and Permit No.007/BDLG

Vision: A network of self-sustaining CHI schemes in Western Ankole

Mission: To ease further the access to quality health care services of beneficiaries in member schemes through strengthening WATSA as a network, networking the member schemes, coordinating stakeholders, advocating for quality healthcare services, directly managing individual and collective technical roles in schemes and at the network level and empowering member schemes to function well.

Objectives:

• To increase the direct participation of scheme members in higher-level decision-making for schemes, a function Save for Health Uganda (SHU) the initiator and long-time promoter of the program had been preparing members to take on.
• To strengthen the individual member Community Health Insurance (CHI) Sub-schemes by federating them into a single unifying body to benefit from economies of scale, individual scheme strength, bigger size for a strong voice and recognition.
• To have in place a local technical support structure that will provide support to individual member sub-schemes on all matters of scheme functioning and sustainability.
• To support the schemes to operate professionally and sustainably by standardizing and centralizing some technical roles and directly implementing them for and on behalf of the member schemes. Some of the key roles are; Funds/premium management, contracting health care providers, purchasing health care services, capacity building/training scheme leaders, monitoring and evaluation, and advocating for improvement in service delivery.

Area of operation:

In Western Ankole SHU operates in:

• Bushenyi district (Ishaka Central division, Ibaare, Bumbaire, Kyeizooba, Rwentuha TC, Kakanju, Bitooma TC, Kyamuhunga S/C, Nyabubare S/C and Nkanga S/C.
• Sheema district (Sheema Central division, Kashozi division, Kagango division, Kakindo TC, Bugongi TC, Kasaana S/C, and Kitagata TC)
• Mitooma district (Katenga S/C, Mutara TC, Kabira S/C, Nyakizinga S/C, Rurehe S/C, Bitereko S/C and Rutookye TC)

Thematic Area: Health and Livelihoods

Target Group (Women, Youth, farmers, children, elderly, PWDSs etc.): WATSA targets everyone in the target community.