By Daniel Otieno, Kakamega
Kenya has made a major advancement in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with the official launch of the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Health Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Barasa while oversaw the rollout of the new health scheme at Muliro Gardens in Kakamega County and Uasin Gishu counties today.
“I want to urge the members of the public to register for the new health cover,” said Dr Mulongo, adding, “There is a free primary health care. With SHA, any sick person seeking medication will get free treatment in level 1, 2 and 3 hospitals,”
The SHA, which will replace the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), aims to provide affordable, accessible, and quality healthcare services to all Kenyans.
“I want to urge the members of the public to register for the new health cover,” said Dr Mulongo, adding, “There is a free primary health care. With SHA, any sick person seeking medication will get free treatment in level 1, 2 and 3 hospitals,”
She went on: “The poor and vulnerable; those leaving with disabilities, orphans and widows will get free treatment from level 1 to 6.”
The lowest amount payable for SHA is as low has Sh300 and for salaried Kenyans, they will be deducted at most 2.75 percent of their income.
Dr. Barasa noted that the government has allocated Sh6.1 billion for the SHA, which is just a fraction of the Sh168 billion needed for full implementation. She assured that the SHA will continue to improve as the system evolves and additional funding is secured.
In addition to launching the SHA, the government is partnering with Safaricom to digitalise healthcare services, which will enhance efficiency and data management. She acknowledged the funding challenges but reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reducing out-of-pocket expenses and improving healthcare services.
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa said he was in full support of the program as it will make healthcare affordable.
Governor Barasa who accompanied the Health CS during the launch urged Kakamega residents to register in large numbers, saying, of the 2.3million area residents, a paltry 23,000 had registered to the new health scheme.
“We are supporting the program fully as a local government. The government is supporting us to complete the stalled new Level (VI) hospital and that is a step in the right direction,” said Barasa
“We are going to work together to ensure completion of level six referral hospital that will be the largest referral hospital in Kenya. The national government has promised to complete the Bukhungu International stadium,” added Barasa
Elijah Wachira, the SHA CEO urged the public to desist from obtaining health care through cash and embrace the new medical cover, money may not be available all the times but by paying little amount of money every month, patients of any kind including those with mental health and chronic diseases are assured of getting medical care for the fee they have paid.
“The government has realized it is expensive to acquire health care in the hospitals and thus embracing the new health insurance cover. There is rise of cancer, diabetes and such like disorders, this has left many families more vulnerable but by embracing the new cover they will get medical attention at little fee,” he said.
The SHA CEO also affirmed that all benefits that were formally in NHIF will be transferred to SHA and doubled. “If a woman was paid for 2 postnatal clinics in the NHIF under LINDA MAMA program, by embracing SHA she will be paid for 6 clinics. EDU AFYA in NHIF targeted only students in High school but it’s now extended to cover learners from nursery school to university education,” he said.
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