The National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) has partnered with Kiambu County Government to conduct a mass biometric registration drive that aims to register indigents across the county.
The exercise is a joint initiative of the National Government and County Government to support those who cannot pay for themselves through Universal Health Care Initiative (UHC).
The registration exercise that began Monday in Kiambu Sub- County is set to run for two weeks that is from 9th to 21st August 2021 across to all the 12 Sub-Counties in Kiambu County.
Speaking to KNA at his office, the Senior Resource and Compliance officer Mr Rex Kirimi said NHIF has embarked on a mass biometric registration of its members since earlier this year.
According to Kirimi, this is in line with President Uhuru’s call last year for Counties to ensure that indigents and vulnerable households are identified and biometrically registered so as to create a platform for easy identification and verification whenever they have to access health care services at accredited NHIF health facilities.
“We started with civil servants all across the county and now we are also registering the indigents and needy families. Hence, efforts are in place to ensure efficient and successful scale-up of coverage of the current subsidy programs offered by NHIF,” he said.
The Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Health and National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) offers an opportunity to ensure that registered members have access to the health services they need without suffering financial hardship.
Kiambu County, Health Services CECM Dr Joseph Murega on his part further said that NHIF has been working with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, through the County Government to identify vulnerable populations.
“In collaboration with the National and County Governments, NHIF has registered thousands of needy families from all the 12 sub-counties and the exercise is still ongoing in the sub counties. As the county government, we help in the identification of the vulnerable families in need of help,” said the CEC.
“The Universal Health Coverage paid my mother’s hospital bill that amounted to Sh130, 000 when she fell sick last year. We were in a process of conducting a fund raising for her when UHC come through for us,” said Martine Kimani a beneficiary of the Universal Health Coverage.
According to the recent reports on the last financial year, NHIF registered 3,209,039 in the flagship programmes, to be supported through the subsidy programmes which aim at assisting as many vulnerable families and individuals as possible, towards the achievement of Universal Health coverage for the people of Kenya.
By Grace Naishoo
