Published: 03 July 2025

EMF Medical Aid Society has launched an ambitious strategy to extend medical aid coverage to Zimbabwe's informal sector, low-income earners, and rural communities, aiming to improve health insurance uptake in a market where penetration remains below 10%.

The initiative comes at a time when most Zimbabweans continue to prioritise funeral insurance over medical aid due to high costs, limited understanding of benefit structures, and poor access to healthcare providers in remote areas.

EMF Medical Aid Society chief executive Mthulisi Ncube said the health fund is deliberately shifting its focus away from traditionally targeted formal sector employees to the underserved lower-income groups, including small-scale miners and informal traders.

"We have noticed that most players are chasing the white- and blue-collar markets of those formally employed. But the lower end of the market remains largely neglected," Ncube said in an interview.

"As a business, we have deliberately shifted our focus to the bottom of the pyramid. We are actively developing affordable, targeted products for sectors such as small-scale miners and SMEs, groups that are typically excluded from traditional medical aid structures."

To support this expansion, EMF is working closely with bodies such as the Zimbabwe Miners Federation and small business associations to co-create health solutions tailored to the realities of their members.

"Right now, only about 10% of Zimbabwe's population is on medical aid. For us to remain viable and impactful, we must bring in those who've been left out—especially people in rural areas who've never had access to formal healthcare financing," Ncube added.

As part of the inclusive growth strategy, EMF is also building a national network of healthcare providers to serve members beyond major cities, improving proximity to care in rural and peri-urban areas.

"We're aligning service delivery with the communities we serve," said Ncube. "That means securing providers not just in high-end clinics, but also in remote areas where our members live."

The medical aid society has also embraced digital transformation as a key enabler of its growth. EMF has developed its own in-house operating system with artificial intelligence-powered fraud detection, and is actively recruiting data analysts to use big data and machine learning for risk management and predictive healthcare planning.

"One of the biggest pain points in the sector is unexpected out-of-pocket payments caused by unclear benefit structures," Ncube explained. "We are addressing this by prioritising transparency, preventive care and partnerships with providers focused on positive health outcomes."

He added that EMF's service model is not just about financing treatment, but walking with members through the entire healthcare journey—from wellness and prevention to chronic illness support and recovery.

The fund's product roadmap includes increased focus on mental health services, chronic illness management, and public education campaigns on non-communicable diseases. EMF also plans to reduce coverage shortfalls and improve affordability to ensure that members are not financially overwhelmed when accessing care.

Founded in 2014, EMF Medical Aid Society is a locally-registered, member-owned fund regulated by the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Insurance and Pensions Commission. Its latest expansion signals a growing shift within Zimbabwe's health insurance industry toward inclusivity, innovation, and impact-driven service.
- newsday