Ministry of Health officials led by Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa had a hard time on Wednesday during a press briefing they had organised to update Kenyans on the Universal Health Coverage uptake in Nairobi.
The patients who had been keenly waiting for an opportunity with the health officials disrupted the press briefing demanding answers over uncertainties and bureaucracies they have been subjected to over the use of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
The Patients had travelled from the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and openly protested in the full glare of the cameras to Barasa over the Social Health Authority (SHA) system failure.
Additionally, the patients, while shouting, expressed that their attempts to have their issues addressed were ignored by everyone in the chain of command, who instead redirected them to various offices, leaving them with no hope of assistance.
Ministry of Health’s Afya House Building in Nairobi, Kenya.
Photo
Ministry of Health
As fate would have it, the patients maximised the opportunity to vent their frustrations to the CS who was at the time forced to patiently sit and listen to them.
”We are not the only ones who have come, several others are waiting for us at the gate. We have walked into the offices of NHIF, the ICT department and all other offices on these floors. They are not helping us,” shouted a visibly angered patient.
”They have resorted to just making us go in circles knowing very well that if you go to a certain office where they have referred you, then there is no amount of help you would get,” added another patient, who was holding her baby.
The patients detailed to the CS that at some point, some of the people who had been frustrating them referred them to Principal Secretary of Medical Services Harry Kimtai.
Among the patients was a mother of a 3-day-old baby, who had just undergone a caesarian section surgery and could not be processed to leave the hospital.
”We have walked all the way from Kenyatta because of this thing called SHA, can you tell the truth to Kenyans,” another patient added.
What remains a mystery is how the patients amid their problems learnt of the venue of the press briefing. Also in the meeting was Health Director General Patrick Amoth among other key figures at the Ministry.
The confusion on certain authorizations to conduct treatment and release permissions has been a contentious one. Just a day ago, the clinical practitioners union led by George Gibore threatened to cripple services if the issues are not promptly addressed.
Dr Patrick Amoth, the Director General of Health during a press briefing on January 15, 2025.
Ministry of Health