The Government has assured Kenyans of the safety of funds already contributed to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIF), as the rollout of the Social Health Authority (SHA) takes shape.
Public Health and Sanitation Principal Secretary (PS), Mary Muthoni, said the funds were secure and would be carried forward into the new scheme.
“Some Kenyans had paid ahead of time and are worried that they will lose the contributions. I want to assure them that not even a shilling will be lost and all the balances will be transferred to the new contributions under SHA,” she said.
During the transition, she said no patients will be turned away from health facilities, urging members of the public to continue registering for the new scheme, adding that the government targets to have all Kenyans on board to ensure the success of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) coverage.
“NHIF covered 20% of the population, but through this new scheme we target 100% enrolment so that all Kenyans can have access to quality medical care as enshrined in the Constitution,” she said.
Speaking during the ground activation drive for the new scheme at Kuoyo Dispensary in Kisumu East Sub-county, Muthoni underscored the benefits of the new scheme, which she said guarantees free medical care at all level two and level three health facilities.
Registration, she added, was key to enabling them to access treatment at levels 4,5 and 6, adding that the government will cater for those who are unable to pay.
The Ministry of Health (MoH), she said, has trained Community Health Promoters (CHPs), who have been engaged in assisting members of the public to register for the new scheme.
Further, she said, National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), have been tasked to sensitise and mobilise members of the public to register ahead of the official launch of the scheme, which was rolled out on October 1st.
MoH, she added, has developed a database of all health facilities across the country to ensure seamless rollout of the Social Health Authority (SHA).
The exercise carried out by the Digital Health Agency, she said, will see a patient’s history accessed at any health facility without necessarily carrying books or being asked to give the information again by health personnel.
“If you are referred from Kisumu to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), you will not have to repeat your history. Sometimes health matters make us shy, and it is unfair to keep narrating every time you visit a health facility,” she said.
Kisumu County Executive Committee Member (CECM)-In-Charge of Medical Services, Public Health, and Sanitation, Dr. Gregory Ganda, said the new scheme was set to revolutionise healthcare in the country.
By shouldering the burden of primary health care, he said, many Kenyans who hitherto could not afford to visit health facilities, will now access quality medical attention.
He asked Kenyans to take advantage and register to ensure a smooth rollout of the programme.
By Chris Mahandara
