Homabay Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga has called on residents to adapt quickly to the new health insurance scheme.
He said NHIF is already defunct, and they now have to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA) in order to access health services.
He observed that there is no such lucrative investment as getting registered for health insurance to access health services affordably.
Magwanga said health is one of the basic needs, adding, “We have the five basic needs: health, food, education, shelter, and clothing, but all said, health needs are key.”
He said registering for SHA will help families meet the other basic needs with ease.
“You will be saving a lot if you get registered, which will enable you to afford education for your children. You will be saving a lot if you get registered for health insurance,” the deputy governor said.
He told the multi-agency team drawn from county and national government meant to spearhead sensitisation and registration of residents to SHA that they have the mandate to come together and work as a team to achieve desirable results.
The deputy governor, who co-chairs the subcounty team with the Deputy County Commissioner, Denis Kieti said health is a devolved function but is also still the work of the national government, saying it’s a shared responsibility and so they must work together to address health issues.
He said he was aware for people to adapt to change from NHIF to SHA, they must be sensitised by the committee to understand the benefits of the new health insurance scheme.
“And we must get committed; we must sacrifice a lot to give our best,” he emphasized.
The deputy governor made the remarks when he addressed Rachuonyo south subcounty multiagency SHA committee members drawn from the county government, national government administrators (NGAO), and members of Homa Bay County Assembly from the five wards in Kasipul constituency during their first meeting after formation.
The multi-agency committee was formed to create awareness among residents and ensure increased registration and enrolment of residents to SHA during a 10-day’ rapid result initiative (RRI) exercise.
The rollout of the committee has been cascaded to the ward, location, and sublocation levels, with the health officials and national government administrators being the lead members.
Magwanga asked all the committee members to ensure the message reached out to the people to get registered and align to the new health reality for their own good.
By Moseti Julius
