The National government has allocated Sh. 870 million to support Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Kisumu County.
The Health Cabinet Secretary, Sicily Kariuki said the bulk of the funds shall go towards medical supplies especially to health centers and dispensaries to enhance access to quality medical care across the country.
Other initiatives to be funded, she said include acceleration of immunization, improvement of mother child health (MCH) services and prevention of vector and water borne diseases.
The Ministry of Health, she added shall also package preventive messages for non-communicable diseases and HIV Aids which remain a big challenge in Kisumu.
UHC programme which is among President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four Agenda is being piloted in Kisumu, Isiolo, Machakos and Nyeri.
Under the programme, all residents in the four counties shall be registered under the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) after which they shall be issued with special UHC cards to access treatment at public health facilities.
Speaking at Okore Ogonda Primary School in Kisumu West Sub County on Thursday during a drive to accelerate the registration exercise, Kariuki said UHC drive should not be seen as a blow to the other covers offered by NHIF adding that those who have registered for the super cover will continue to get services.
“The special UHC cards which for now we are registering for free shall be used only at public health facilities but those registered under the NHIF super cover and other covers accepted at private facilities are free to continue using them,” she said.
She directed Pharm access Foundation and NHIF which are conducting the registration to speed up the process ahead of the official launch of the programme by the president next month.
The Kisumu County Executive Committee Member (CECM), Dr. Rosemary Obara said the registration which kicked off in June targets 270, 000 households.
So far, she disclosed, 117, 000 households have been captured expressing optimism that the target shall be met before the national launch.
The pilot phase shall enable the national government generate the required feedback to guide the countrywide rollout afterwards.
By Chris Mahandara
