As part of creating awareness and giving back to the society National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) is currently doing Community Engagement Open Days dubbed “NHIF Open Day” that present an opportunity to strengthen its commitment to the community’s access to healthcare.
The initiative comprises activities, including free medical camps, each designed to address specific healthcare challenges faced by the communities in these regions.
The health insurance body pitched camp in Kirinyaga County with accredited Health Care Providers (HCPs) to give free medical camps to Kenyans for 3 days as well as create awareness about NHIF registration and packages.
Speaking during the open day at Kagio town in Kirinyaga, Central Region NHIF manager Winny Mbugua said the community outreach programme aims to close the gap of about 50% unregistered population in the central region.
She said another 10% of the registered group has dropped out of the cover by not paying the monthly fee.
“We are here doing community outreach and giving back to society and most importantly to bridge the gap as about 50% of central region population is registered with NHIF”
“10% have dropped out because they stop paying, maybe because they lost their jobs and they are unaware they can continue paying as self-employed,” Mbugua said.
Ms Mbugua also noted that the unregistered population is made up of those who have not declared their defendants and those who were initially covered by parents and they haven’t registered on their own.
“We are also targeting those who were covered by parents but they have come of age that they are now capable of paying their own,” she added
During the medical camp, individuals from the immediate community consult with skilled medical professionals, receive essential screenings and tests, and even undergo minor treatments, all free of charge.
Kerugoya NHIF branch Manager Bonaya Guyo, said the program has witnessed positive reception from the society serving as a platform for education and awareness, with NHIF delivering informative sessions on their benefits package.
Mr Bonaya added that they intend to mobilize more people to register for NHIF noting that the first day they registered over 150 and additional over 100 on the second day of their 3-day camp.
He further encouraged the public to take advantage of the free medical checkups and do routine checkups to prevent chronic diseases.
“We intend to mobilise more people to register as part of a government’s program to achieve Universal Health Care. I also encourage the public to do routine checkups due to some chronic diseases that can be detected early,” Bonaya said.
Among the beneficiaries of the putreach programme are Purity Wairimu and Peter Kariuki who acknowledged the role played by NHIF in past medical challenges involving huge sums of money.
“I have been admitted in hospitals several times and if it was not for NHIF it could have been a challenge to me,” Kariuki said
By Mutai Kipngetich
