Deputy Government Spokesperson Ms. Mwanaisha Chidzuga (Centre) with SHA officials while sensitizing Boda Boda riders on SHA registration and its benefits at Ngong market, in Kajiado County. Photos by Mathew Gwendo (OGS).Being part of President William Ruto’s manifesto promises, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is being hailed as the stroke of a genius being the healthcare program easing medical bills and making medical care accessible to all Kenyans, nearly one year since SHA was rolled out.
President Ruto’s administration, came up with SHA as a solution to Kenyans for quality healthcare regardless of their financial situations since most of them suffered with high medical bills that drove them into poverty.
The President has been on the forefront, assuring Kenyans that, despite previous failed attempts to implement universal healthcare, the Kenya Kwanza administration is committed to delivering on it.
He has been emphasizing that health care is a right for every Kenyan and therefore Kenya Kwanza government will make sure that every Kenyan has an access to quality and improved health services through Taifa Care.
“Quality health care will never be for the rich people alone, but it will be accessible to everyone in Kenya,” he insisted pointing out at the reality of the current situation where over 26.2 million Kenyans are registered and benefiting from SHA, a quality health care program by the Government for all.
Guided by the fact that “sickness does not choose whom to attack, rich or poor and instead it attacks all” as he likes to remind Kenyans, President Ruto is out to ensure that everyone deserves quality health care under the UHC program.
“This health care will take care of all Kenyans not only a few groups of people like what the defunct NHIF used to do - covering only Kenyans who had pay slips or could afford to pay,” he assures, stating that the country needs to have a universal health system that covers all and not just a few.
A visit by the OGS team to hospitals in Nakuru, Kisumu, Makueni, Kajiado and Kericho level 5 and 6 hospitals found happy patients and doctors who hailed President Ruto’s administration on the health care program despite a few hiccups that are at times caused by the system.
At the Nakuru Provincial General Hospital, a level 6 facility, Dr.James Waweru the medical superintendent narrates how the launch of SHA has helped patients after registering with the Social Health Fund (SHIF) as they got services free of charge or with very minimal payments especially those with chronic diseases.
‘’SHA is a game changer to Kenyans and has really helped. Despite the few system hiccups that at times come up, patients especially with chronic diseases are benefiting well with this health care program,” Dr. Waweru admits.
He notes that most registered patients at the facility who have undergone emergency surgeries, Dialysis, Chemotherapy and expectant mothers through Linda Mama are all beneficiaries of SHA.
At Pumwani maternity hospital in Nairobi County the CEO Christine Kiteshuo says SHA is working well at the facility and they have even employed more staffs for customer service to be registering the patients with SHA.
“Being a facility that mainly deals with maternal health SHA has highly helped mothers in both pre and post-natal care and we have even increased our workforce employing more staffs in customer service to register more patients with SHA as they keep on flocking in,” Kiteshuo explains.
In Makueni County Referral level 5 hospital most patients registered with SHA and suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, Kidney among others are undergoing free treatment in SHA compliant facilities without using a single penny from their pockets.
The Makueni county chief officer Dr. Havi Mulei says the county government is targeting to register all the county residents with SHA to enable them access free and improved health services.
“We call upon all residents in Makueni County to continue registering with SHA so as to benefit from the quality and improved health care programme by the national Government,” Dr. Mulei urges.
At Ngong sub county hospital in Kajiado County, the Deputy Government Spokesperson Ms. Mwanaisha Chidzuga together with SHA team held a town-hall meeting with boda-boda riders and sensitized them on how SHA was beneficial to them especially during emergencies as most of them frequently fell victims of accidents due to the nature of their jobs.
Chidzuga urged all the boda boda riders to register with SHA which will assist in catering for their medication especially during emergencies.
“I urge you all in the boda boda sector to register with SHA which will cater for your medical bills during emergencies,’’ she advised.
She also announced that through the *147# one could take advantage of the “Lipa Pole Pole,” option which is aimed to assist those who are unable to pay for the total amount of the SHA annual fees during registration.
“For Kenyans who are completely unable to pay up, President Ruto directed that the Government steps in and pay for them so that nobody is left behind with this health care program,” Chidzuga said.
In Kericho County the Governor, Dr. Eric Mutai has been on the fore front in leading the mass registration exercise for residents within Kericho county.
With Kericho County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo also urging chiefs to assist residents get registered and have the right information on SHA amongst other government programs and projects.
Munira Mandano works at the Office of Government Spokesperson
