Kiambu Governor Dr Paul Kimani Wamatangi launched a mass registration drive for the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) under Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) in the County.
Speaking during the event which was held at the County Headquarters, Wamatangi said that the mass registration seeks to provide affordable accessible and sustainable medical cover to every resident in the County and is targeting to register 1 million people under the NHIF cover.
“Being registered under the NHIF will ensure that all people get the needed healthcare services of sufficient quality and will also experience financial risk protection,” he said.
Wamatangi added that his administration is heavily invested in health care and scaling up its work on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to make sure the County gets the best medical services.
“We have held extensive consultations across the County with residents, civil society groups, partners and other key stakeholders to identify key barriers of accessing healthcare and in provision of key inputs to lower risk factors on matters health,” he added.
Wamatangi reiterated the need to have more hospitals in Wards, saying that in the coming year he will build hospitals in eight wards in the County that do not have hospitals that will encompass maternity services, laboratories and those that can be able to carry out minor surgeries.
The governor said that all hospitals will be supplied with medicines adding that no one will go outside of County hospitals to buy any medicine.
“Today, we have flagged lorries with medicine that will be supplied in all our County hospitals. Everyone will now be able to access medicines in the hospitals and no one will be asked where to buy medicine,” he said.
The governor also noted that his government is investing in healthcare workers and community volunteers who have a deeper understanding of vulnerable people in communities and also act as first respondents whenever need arises.
“We are developing community health services through improved collaboration between public health services community and civil society organizations to help scale up risk communication and community engagement as a key component of a people centered health system,” he said.
Kenya Medical Supply Authority (KEMSA) Board Member Dr. John Muturi said that Kiambu County received medicine worth more than Sh 60 million that will be supplied in all the hospitals in the County.
“We are humbled to partner with Kiambu County Government and we appreciate the support that we have from this government. As KEMSA, we will ensure that we continue working together so that the healthcare system of this County is not compromised,” he said.
NHIF Branch Manager Kiambu Winnie Wambui Mbugua while giving her speech said that the mass registration is a step ahead to ensure that everyone in the County is registered and is able to get quality health care.
“In this County, only 181 households which comes to about 30 per cent are registered under NHIF meaning we have a gap of 423 and 70 per cent of households that have not yet been registered. We will join hands to make sure that all residents are registered so that they can be able to access quality healthcare,” she said.
Mbugua added that 108 facilities in the County are offering comprehensive services under NHIF, adding that residents can easily register themselves through NHIF App, website or through the use of USSD code *155#.
By Evalyne Kamau
