Gov’t Snubbed Counties In SHIF Implementation – Governors Claim
Kenyans have expressed strong opposition to the migration into the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), accusing the government of failing to involve the public in the decision to establish the new medical fund.
The Council of Governors (COG) has now accused the national government of bypassing them in the programme’s implementation.
Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki, chairperson of the COG health committee, stated that none of the counties have signed an Intergovernmental Participatory Agreement (IPA) with the implementation authority, despite the fact that counties run the majority of the health facilities.
During the COG quarterly meeting in Naivasha, Muthomi stated that tens of health facilities have yet to be registered, raising concerns among patients.
The COG convened a health sector consultative meeting with Health stakeholders including @MOH_Kenya, Social Health Authority, Digital Health Agency, @NAssemblyKE, @Senate_KE, @CoB_Kenya, @AGOfficeKenya @OfficePCS_KE and @CRAKenya among others pic.twitter.com/J28KIqB784
— Council of Governors (@KenyaGovernors) October 2, 2024
He stated that patients suffering from chronic diseases are now in danger because they lack medical coverage after the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) was terminated on September 30, 2024.
He urged the Treasury to increase funding to support the transition exercise, which is beset by numerous challenges, including a lack of sufficient devices to register new members.
However, Public Health Principal Secretary Harry Kimutai assured the Governors that the government is looking for an additional 65,000 devices for all public health facilities.
He admitted that the registration process encountered teething problems, and the ministry is working with various stakeholders, including COG, to resolve them.
Patients suffering from chronic diseases who had been registered under the NHIF would be covered under the new scheme.
According to Kimutai, the ministry will also audit the Ksh.30 billion that the NHIF allegedly owes counties.
Governors accuse national government of bypassing counties in State Health Act implementation; Council of Governors Health Committee Chair Muthomi Njuki says scheme marred by irregularities. pic.twitter.com/7dMxpUyhYX
— KTN News (@KTNNewsKE) October 2, 2024
He stated that it has released Ksh.1 billion to KEMSA to purchase critical medical supplies for counties.
He stated that under the new scheme, patients will have three months to pay using a paybill number before moving to the ecitizen portal.
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Despite emerging challenges, Social Health Authority (SHA) CEO Elijah Wachira stated that over 12.5 million people had been registered in two days, with 9 million members moving from NHIF to SHIF.
He described the exercise as 85 percent successful, blaming the slow registration process on the large turnout of Kenyans eager to join the new health scheme.
Rosylene Omollo, Chair of the CEC Health Caucus, has questioned the implementation, period and programme for the new scheme.
This was echoed by her Nandi counterpart, Ruth Koech, who stated that the defunct NHIF owed counties more than Ksh.30 billion, and it was unclear how this would be settled.
Gov’t Snubbed Counties In SHIF Implementation – Governors Claim