Special NHIF cover to benefit three million poor Nairobi residents

 

NHIF Chief Executive Officer Geoffrey Mwangi

At least three million slum residents will soon have a medical cover if negotiations between NHIF and the county government yield fruit.

Beneficiaries of the scheme will be required to pay Sh200 and will strictly have to seek treatment in county health facilities. Slum residents account for 70 per cent of the city’s population.

County Health Executive Hitan Majevda revealed that negotiations between the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the city administration were ongoing.

“There are very many people who cannot afford a health cover in Nairobi. We want to come up with a special package where they contribute to NHIF but specifically use our clinics for treatment,” Mr Majevda said.

Currently, those covered by NHIF can use any health institution.

The health boss emphasised that the county was ready to subsidise the current NHIF rates to ensure a majority of city residents especially the poor benefit. The National government and donors will have to be,” said. 

This, he said, is in line with Governor Mike Sonko’s campaign pledge to deliver quality healthcare and a medical cover for the poor.

He said the Sh600 million that would be raised from the scheme would be used to insure Nairobi residents.

“Not everyone can afford to pay the Sh500 or even Sh5,000 in a month but they can be able to raise Sh200 which will ensure they can easily access treatment,” he added.

NHIF Chief Executive Officer Geoffrey Mwangi confirmed that there were plans to introduce a special cover for vulnerable groups.

Mr Mwangi said this was part of achieving global health coverage which dictates that vulnerable groups such as the elderly, poor and young be insured.

Interestingly, he said NHIF was also in talks with other counties to ensure they help vulnerable groups access quality healthcare by providing subsidised medical coverage.

“The talks started long ago even with the other government and we are doing it with other counties so that they can identify the vulnerable people and see how they can help them,” Mwangi said.

Currently, accessing quality healthcare for the poor is a herculean task and one that has proven to be costly. A majority patients have to go back to their pockets to purchase drugs from private facilities since city hospitals lack drugs.

The shortage of drugs or lack thereof is occasioned by a Sh285 million debt to the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority.