Elderly citizens get health cover, launched by Governor Isaac Ruto

By CHARLES NG’ENO

Bomet County: When they took to the dance floor, their ageing bodies could not allow them the agility of their yesteryears. But still they danced to the music, expressing their joy at being remembered.

The venue was Bomet Green Stadium and the event was the official launch of the social protection programme health cover for the the elderly. The main characters were the senior citizens of Bomet County.

In the programme 12,127 people, all past 70 years, will from this month receive a monthly stipend of Sh2,500 from the Bomet county government.

According to Governor Isaac Ruto, this group of people can no longer go to the farm and till or engage in other productive ventures.

“Article 43 of our Constitution guarantees everybody a right to social and health protection. We have passed a law in our County Assembly that has legalised the programme,” said Ruto.

He said the identified people will not have to travel far as they go to collect the money because they have been issued with a Safaricom Sim card through which the money will be sent to them via M-Pesa.

“All of them have been registered plus their closest trusted kin. Once the money has been sent to them, an alert will be sent to that person so that they can help them withdraw it,” said Ruto, adding that a payroll would be generated using Safaricom technology.

He said his government would also contribute Sh1,920 for each of the elderly people per year towards the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).

Ruto said NHIF would cater for their medication when they fall sick, adding that they had tendered for the provision of an insurance cover.

NHIF Chief Executive Officer Simeon Kirigotty lauded the move and said Bomet had set the pace for other counties. He said 90 per cent of Kenyans do not have insurance cover and NHIF was committed to ensuring that every Kenyan has access to affordable, acceptable and quality health care.

He called on all the devolved governments to ensure health facilities are improved to meet the NHIF accreditation threshold.

“What Bomet has launched will go a long way in ensuring the vulnerable and the poorest segments of our society get an insurance cover,” said Kirigotty.

Kiluge Terer, 82, from Kamongil in Kaboson, lauded the move.

“I am happy because the money will help me purchase some chickens for rearing and I can also engage in bee keeping,” he said.