Laikipia, Kenya: Teachers in Laikipia have raised concern over the revised National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) rates that came to effect last month.
Following the publication of a gazette notice on new National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) contributions, the Government announced that formal sector workers will start paying higher contributions.
However, the teachers claim the rates are exorbitant and have threatened to move to court to seek redress if the rates are not revised.
Led by Laikipia Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Executive Branch Secretary Ndung’u Wangenye, the teachers condemned the move by the ministry of health to deduct teachers the new rates which he said had been increased by over 500 per cent.
Mr Wangenye said it was an unacceptable move to deduct such moneys yet the Government was reluctant to increase salaries.
Wangenye said as a union, the teachers will now have to challenge the move in court and asked the Government to stop deducting the money forthwith.
legal redress
“We will definitely seek legal redress unless the move is halted,” he said.
Wangenye said the Government that is supposed to give services to its citizens at subsidised rates was instead making life hard to afford.
Speaking to the Press in Nyahururu town, Wangenye claimed that this will create more room for corruption by some few individuals.
The Kuppet official gave the Government a 30-day ultimatum to review the rates or teachers will either withdraw from the health scheme or seek alternative health cover.
MPs BLAMED
Mary Wangui, another official, echoed the sentiments saying the matter has been characterised with insincerity since proper consultations were not done.
She called on President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto to intervene and ensure that the rates are revised.
She said common wananchi were unable to pay the new rates since they solely depend on casual labour or small enterprises.
She accused MPs of failing to address the matter before it was gazetted.
