This is basically an idea which seeks to introduce zakat as an alternative form of financing health care in countries where the government does not have adequate finances for the health sector. We use Kenya as an example to invite discussions on the viability of our idea.

1. Lyla Latif (latif.lyla@gmail.com) & Jörg Langerwisch (joerg@langerwisch.net)
University of Duisburg-Essen
M.A. in Development and Governance & M.A. in International Relations and Development Policy
Between Lecture Hall and Project Work with Dr. Daniel Lambach
The GIZ Project in Kenya:
Development of the Health Sector.
Project’s Aim:
To support the Kenyan government and the private sector to develop
strategies in order to finance health*.
Justification:
The government lacks adequate finances to provide the rural poor with access to healthcare*.
Our Proposal:
A long term and sustainable solution through the creation of a Zakat Fund.
Zakat is a form of Islamic social financing through which all Muslims whose wealth falls
above a certain threshold are required by the Qur’an to give 2.5% of their assets each year
to help people in need (Authors).
Our Recommendation:
A Public Private Partnership between the Ministry of Health, SUPKEM
(Kenyan Muslim Council) and an Islamic Bank in Kenya in jointly setting up
and administering the Zakat Fund.
Over 2 million Muslims in Kenya then requested to pay the 2.5% tax on their
savings and wealth into the Fund.
The money to be utilized to finance mobile health clinics in rural areas and
to train community health workers in providing healthcare to rural Kenyans
(Authors).
An Alternative Strategy to Finance Health in Rural Kenya
Source:
* GIZ, 2015. “Progress Report -Kenya,” PN: 2013.2147.0
©Authors