Nyeri Governor Dr Mutahi Kahiga will from Wednesday lead the county in an all-out Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) registration drive.
Dr Kahiga who was addressing health practitioners at the Nyeri Cultural Center yesterday said the county cannot afford to be left out of the new health scheme at a time other counties were well ahead.
The County boss underscored the need for the general public to take advantage of the Government’s effort in urging the need for the public to support the new scheme which replaced the former National Health Insurance Fund terming this as the only way out in funding the cost of medical care among both the well off and the low-income earners.
“As we stand here today there’s no alternative to Social Health Insurance Fund. As a county, as a country we have no alternative. A few days ago, we were leading in terms of (SHIF) registration, but now we are at number seven at 30 per cent while Mombasa is at 40 per cent. These are numbers we can beat. The only thing we need to do is to collectively agree that this must be done. And if registration in the Social Health Insurance Fund is the only way to get treatment, do we have a choice? ”posed the County boss.
The Governor has also urged leaders in the county to desist from politicizing the issue of the new health scheme and instead sensitize the masses on the need of getting registration in order to reap the benefits that come along with the new scheme.
He said responsible leadership entails educating the people on matters that touch on their everyday lives and ensuring they get the correct information whenever called upon to do so.
Dr Kahiga said the only way for the country to get the SHIF working is for Kenyans to have a positive attitude towards the scheme and urged health practitioners working in the county to undertake the role of goodwill ambassadors in popularizing the program.
“I want you (health workers) to be advocates and not politicians. We must support Social Health Authority. Let everyone get registered. Let us go out there and register the wananchi. I have every reason to quarrel with SHIF because my contribution is not commensurate with the services, I am getting but the point is; if this is the only direction we must go, then let every person register, pay what they must pay and move on as a country,” he stated.
As of January 15, Nyeri had registered a total of 188,054 people out of a population of 759,164 people into SHIF translating to a 24.8 per cent listing. Last week, the Principal Secretary in charge of for Public Health and Professional Standards Mary Muthoni revealed that over 18.5 million Kenyans had been registered under the health cover. Mombasa was leading with 43.5 per cent of its population having been enlisted in SHA.
In November last year Nyeri County Commissioner, Ronald Mwiwawi asked Nyeri residents to seek the correct information regarding SHA and SHIF to enable them enjoy the benefits of the new medical scheme.
The County Administrator who was addressing the 6th National Government Development-Nyeri County Implementation Coordination and Management Committee (NGD-CICMC) meeting said majority of Kenyans lacked proper information on how the new medical scheme works.
Mwiwawi noted that the general lack of information about SHIF and SHA as well as the miscommunication on where one is expected to seek medical care had resulted in the bumpy transition from the National Hospital Insurance Fund to SHA.
“The communication has not been unbundled well for all of us to understand. Many people are not getting the information as they should. SHA is working at Level II and Level III facilities which are the primary healthcare level where all of us are supposed to start. I am encouraging each of us to take time to understand how SHA is working,” said the administrator.
“The mistake people are making is they are going directly to Level IV and Level V before passing through Level II and III and that is where we are getting complications. When you get to a Level IV or Level V without a referral from Level II and III you will not get attended to and you will claim that SHA is not working.”
Under the new SHIF cover, the State is targeting to register over 50 million Kenyans in a medical scheme that will address the inefficiency and lack of inclusivity that had characterized the 60-year-old NHIF cover.
Under the scheme, employed individuals are expected to contribute 2.75 per cent of their monthly income to SHA. For individuals without a constant or fixed monthly income, their contribution was to be calculated using a means-testing tool which would rely on the individual’s assets and earnings.
Once registered members can access a wide array of primary health care services, emergency as well as treatment for chronic health conditions.
However, confusion has been rife among some of the Kenyans who have been forced to pay for medical services despite being enlisted under
By Samuel Maina