Governor Nathif's SHA remarks spark public backlash

Garissa Governor Nathif Jama has come under heavy criticism after a video of him dismissing the current healthcare system under the Social Health Authority (SHA) went viral. 

The Governor was caught on an undated video clip in Garissa Town when he found an ailing woman whom he gave Sh1,000 to pay for treatment. In the footage, the governor appears to be telling the woman not to rely on the medical cover provided by SHA since it was unreliable.  

“Enda kwa Doctor Amal utibiwe hakuna mambo ya SHA hapa (go to doctor Amal for treatment, SHA is not working here),” the Governor said before dishing out one thousand notes to her.

The 21-second video has since gone viral with netizens using the footage to ridicule the governor, while others interpreted the remarks as confirmation that he is opposed to SHA, whose mandate is to provide accessible, affordable and sustainable healthcare.

Billed as a game-changer, the new healthcare system has been facing a myriad of challenges, making it unpopular.  

Among those unhappy with Nathif's remark was Lagdera MP Abdikadir Hussein, who challenged the governor to show what he has done to improve health systems in the county.

Speaking in Bura Tana on Sunday during a fundraising in support of Madrasa, the lawmaker said SHA is a small component in the health sector and that the Sh1.6billion payment in the county by the Authority went to private hospitals.

“This means that services in public hospitals are so low, before he says SHA is not working, he should be responsible for the functions under him, you can’t blame SHA because of your own fault,” said Husein.

Falhado Iman, the East African Legislative Assembly MP, said the biggest irony is that the person tasked with championing SHA appears to have done little to promote its success in his own county.

“Residents cannot be expected to benefit from a programme they are not adequately informed about or encouraged to enrol in,” she said.

She said leaders have a duty to ensure that health systems function for all citizens equally, adding that when people are denied access to services they are entitled to complain.

There was no immediate response from the governor’s office; however, some of his handlers noted that the woman at the centre of the backlash frequently seeks help from the county boss. 

“Governor has consistently shown concern for her welfare and has on numerous occasions provided her with financial support, while continuously advising her to go to the hospital, register for SHA and access treatment,” said the officer at the governor’s office who requested to remain anonymous since he is not authorised to speak for Nathif. 

The officer said it was unfortunate that people with malice and political grudges used the clip and portrayed the governor in a bad light.