Government Mounts Campaign to Register Kenyans Under New Social Health Authority
By Mwakwaya Raymond
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
The government has started rigorous multi-agency campaigns to make sure all Kenyans register for the benefits of newly established Social Health Authority Services (SHA).
SHA in conjunction with all devolved units’ health executive committees will conduct the registration campaigns across the country in partnership with County commissioners without discrimination.
Harry Kimutai, the medical services principal secretary, says the main reason for the campaign is to register Kenyans before the end of the year so that they can enjoy all services rendered under Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) scheme.
“The new health scheme is the best for this country, but I don’t understand why people are not answering the call to register themselves.”
As a result, the PS has warned those not registering and a section of private facilities that were trying to bring down the scheme would be dealt in accordance with the law for denying health services to innocent Kenyans.
According to him about 50 per cent of private health providers subscribed to SHA are still asking for cash from patients for treatment of different ailments.
The PS Kimutai warned facilities deliberately refusing to use the new system risked being deregistered from the service providers’ list.
Statistics indicate that over 13 million Kenyans have registered with the new health authority, thus, free to access all SHA provided services.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with Coast health CECs and County commissioners on October 22, 2024 in a Mombasa hotel, the secretary expressed concern for those giving ‘lame excuses’ of malfunctioning systems not to register their facilities or themselves.
“But what they should know is that now we want to publish them as those who have been contracted so that if a Kenyan fails to get service because of not paying cash up front, we will take action against that particular facility.”
Kimutai added that there has been a public outcry regarding the new system of healthcare provision that has forced most patients to use their finances to pay for health care services.
He said that Kenyans who were previously covered by National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) have so far been transferred to SHA and were eligible for services.
However, implementation hurdles continue to pile pressure on the government new healthcare system as emerging issues and challenges continue to bombard the authority.
“Some of these facilities are deliberately refusing to use the system – not that the system is not working. A case in point is that for dialysis patients,” he said.
The 47 County technical steering committees that have been established are expected to visit more than 7,000 health facilities registered under SHA.
Elijah Wachira, the SHA chief executive officer, noted that the campaign would be led by County commissioners to ensure proper implementation of the health funding.
“The problem is people are learning to use the modern machines and equipment, they have to be trained and we are happy they are doing well after we train them.
We are reaching hospital by hospital training doctors and nurses on how to use this new equipment which is better than what we used before,” he said.