The county government of Murang’a in partnership with NHIF has commenced registration of dependents who will be included in the enhanced health cover.
The cover, dubbed Kang’ata care, targets to register more than 100, 000 dependents including children, orphans and parents of the principal members.
The programme which started operations from January this year, covers 20, 000 vulnerable households from the county where already the registered members are receiving free medical care from local public and private hospitals.
The Kang’ata care medical scheme also includes optical and dental services and also last expense compensation.
NHIF officials assisted by county workers have been deployed in all local public health facilities within the county to conduct biometric registration of the eligible dependents.
Governor Irungu Kang’ata speaking at Iruri dispensary in Mathioya on Tuesday when he launched the registration exercise said capturing details of the dependents will streamline operations of the programme by ensuring only rightful dependents benefit from the medical cover.
Among the needed requirements during the registration process, the dependents must appear physically at centres where the registration is being done.
The Sh. 170 million enhanced medical cover, Kang’ta said it will ensure the listed vulnerable families access quality medical care for free.
He said the enhanced medical cover was out of an agreement with the NHIF where already members of the scheme who have lost their loved ones have been paid last expense.
Since January this year, six families enrolled in the Kang’ata care have been compensated following the demise of their relatives.
In last expense cover, in case of death of a principal member the family is compensated with Sh.100, 000 and Sh. 50, 000 for dependents so as to facilitate burial among other expenses.
One of the local residents, Patrick Mulei from Ithanga ward, said his family was proud of the support it got from the enhanced medical cover upon the demise of his father who had been sick.
“It had been hectic for the family as our father fell sick two years ago, and upon registration in the Kang’ata care programme we got support in settling hospital bills and when he passed on,” said Mulei.
Another resident, Emily Wanjiru from Kiharu underscored the health care programme saying it has come to support many humble families which have been suffering for decades due to lack of finances to cater for medical care.
By Bernard Munyao
