The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) is a Social Health Insurance Institution established under the National Health Insurance Act, Cap 395 with the main objective of ensuring accessibility of health care services to people. It is a Government entity that operates under the Ministry of Health Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MHCDGEC). The management of the Fund is vested to the Board of Directors while its day to day operations are overseen by the Director General. The Fund considers health insurance as a societal affair rather than an individual need and thus operates under the principles of risk sharing and solidarity among members.

Despite the compulsory enrollment arrangement to public servants, the Fund has expanded its coverage to include other groups like Councilors, private companies, education institutions, private individuals, children under the age of 18, farmers in cooperatives as well as organized registered groups like Machinga and Bodaboda groups. The Fund is also administering the Bunge Health Insurance Scheme and covers Members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives.