Civil servants in Busia County have been urged to refrain from fraudulent activities while using the comprehensive National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) medical Scheme.
Speaking to the civil servants during the monitoring and evaluation of the NHIF cover at a hotel in Busia, the Director of Human Resource in the State Department of Public Service Benrodrers Milaih urged the government officers to manage their limits transparently and within the law.
“If you use your card through collusion with the health facilities in exchange for money, you will face the full arm of the law,” he said.
Milaih advised the officers to consider the NHIF scheme as an insurance cover that can assist those who are not fortunate to pay for their medical bills.
“So do not say that you have to spend your money because you have not gone to the hospital,” he advised.
He urged the officers to help the government in improving the scheme so that the various challenges can be adequately addressed.
“The government spends Sh. 5 billion annually on this medical scheme to ensure that all civil servants are in good health to discharge their duties to the citizenry,” he said.
Busia County NHIF branch manager Asenath Aosa urged the accredited facilities to improve on their service delivery warning that failure to do so will lead to their deregistration.
Aosa advised the facility managers not to prescribe drugs that they do not have in their stores only to subject their clients to purchase from private chemists.
She advised registered NHIF members not to sign blank invoices issued by the accredited health care providers.
“We are getting several complaints from our members being forced to buy drugs,” she said, adding that facilities should not refer patients to the NHIF offices but instead make phone calls for faster service delivery.
The official also urged NHIF Members to update their mobile phone numbers in the system for faster notification.
Participants at the forum complained about lack of drugs in both government and private health facilities accredited by the health insurance scheme in Busia County.
By Salome Alwanda
