Residents of Kericho County have been urged to continue registering with the Social Health Authority (SHA) to ensure they access a comprehensive range of quality health services without the burden of financial hardship.
Speaking during the official mass roll-out of SHA/SHIF in Kericho County, Deputy Government Spokesperson, Mwanaisha Chidzuga, lauded residents for heeding the call to register for health insurance, saying they would benefit from preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative health services, provided at levels 4, 5, and 6 health facilities, under the Fund.
The Deputy Spokesperson further explained to the residents that the benefits of SHA include emergency services, critical care services beyond the benefits in the essential healthcare benefits package, and treatment and management of chronic illnesses.
“Everyone can apply for registration to the Authority as a member of the Social Health Authority, and it is simple; just dial *147# and follow the prompts to register,” said Chidzuga.
Chidzuga noted that misinformation and propaganda had slowed down the rather smooth registration of more Kenyans into the new national Social Health Authority (SHA) in the country and instead urged citizens to ignore the misinformation and negative propaganda and register for the new health cover.
The Deputy Government Spokesperson, who was flanked by Kericho Governor, Dr. Erick Mutai, and County Commissioner, Mr. Gilbert Kitiyo, said the new Social Health Authority will address the myriad challenges wananchi were facing in accessing affordable and reliable health services in government health facilities and some private health hospitals that are registered with SHA.
Meanwhile, Kericho Governor, Dr. Eric Mutai, who was the guest at the function held at Uhuru Gardens, said that Kericho targets to register over 900,000 individuals under SHA.
Dr. Mutai further revealed that all 164 county facilities, six (6) faith-based hospitals, and 12 private facilities had been registered with SHA and were ready to deliver health services to county patients.
“Kericho County Referral Hospital has received Sh18 million, while Kapkatet Hospital has received Sh14 million from SHA; hence, SHA is working in facilities in Kericho, and therefore I urge residents to continue registering to benefit,” stressed Dr. Mutai.
The Governor also assured that his Administration was in the process of confirming healthcare workers on a permanent and pensionable basis and will then embark on employing an additional 210 healthcare workers, including nurses and clinicians, who will be serving at the dispensaries, adding this would decongest the sub-county hospitals and the Level 5 hospital.
“The County Government already has Sh35 million to pay all the arrears for the Community Health Promoters (CHPs), so that they continue with their good work, and we believe they will also be very instrumental in the success of SHA,” added Dr. Mutai.
Kericho County Commissioner (CC), Mr. Gilbert Kitiyo, urged Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs to be on the frontlines in providing the correct information to the residents about SHA and SHIF and encouraged them to register to enjoy the benefits.
Mr. Kitiyo expressed dissatisfaction over the misinformation being peddled by some individuals using social media, to the effect that the National Government had done little in development in the country.
The CC enumerated various projects implemented by the National Government, running into billions of shillings in Kericho County.
Mr. Kitiyo said there are four major markets under the Economic Stimulus Project (ESP) that are at various stages of completion in Kericho, including the Kapkatet market, Sosiot market, Chesinende market, and Lelu market in Kipkelion West.
The Administrator said that under the Affordable Housing Project (AHP), the National Government was constructing over 1000 units at Majengo Tallai in Kericho town and the Kapsuser-Sosiot-Sondu tarmac road project at the cost of Sh905 million.
Kimugu Water Project at the cost of over Sh1 billion to serve Kericho Town, the Kapsuser area, Kapsoit, and the neighbouring market centres.
The Soin-Koru Multipurpose Water Project at a cost of Sh20 billion and the Londiani Water Dam at a cost of Sh20 billion are now at the feasibility level. The Soko-Huru Aggregation Park in Soin Sigowet Sub-county at the cost of Sh541 million, the Cheborge-Kipwastuiwa-Sotik road at the cost of Sh590 million, and the Kericho Immigration Office at Huduma Centre, among others.
CC Kitiyo said that other programmes running in the County of Kericho being implemented by the National Government include the Ajira Digital programme, the Inua Jamii subsidy programme for the elderly, and the orphans and vulnerable children’s (OVCs) programme, where over 8,900 households’ benefit under the programme.
Tree planting programme, where already 533 acres have been planted in Kericho and targets to plant over 1.5 million acres of land.
Under the Ministry of Education, the county has received Sh60 million to fund the construction of new classrooms in the county, the CC added.
By Dominic Cheres and Kibe Mburu
