Abstract:
Background: The process of screening patients/clients for fee-waiver health services is not transparent and implementers reportedly fail to fully implement relevant guidelines.
Thus, studying the facilitators and barriers of the fee waiver health service was found to be crucial.
Objective: To assess the facilitators and barriers of the fee waiver service recruitment process in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: the study used a qualitative study approach based on FGDs and in-depth interviews. Ninety-six fee waiver service users and ten woreda service providers were selected purposively. Data collection was done using semi- structured open ended guides and digitally recorded.
Transcription and translation of each record were made by principal investigator and the data were analyzed using OPEN CODE version 4.2 software.
Results: availability of the UHEP raised as a main facilitator and Unclear identification, lake of awareness about the services, involvement of the richest individuals and unavailability of prescribed drug within the health facility are the major barriers to recruiting beneficiaries for fee waiver health services.
The identification and recruitment for fee waiver health service is different from one sub city woreda to other. In some sub city woreda the responsible body to recruitment clients for fee waive service is WDA and while the rest sub city were recruit by using constricted committee and some of woreda recruit by UHEP.
Conclusion and recommendation: Clear guideline and awareness creation about the guideline should be needed for all sub cities to provide clear, simple and fast service.
........................................... Thesis available at ACIPH Library