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NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Nairobian

Improved NHIF cover to alleviate patients’ suffering

Editorial

By The Standard | Jan 30, 2016

The newly-introduced National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) rebates will provide a welcome relief to many patients who have had to dig deep in their pockets to meet the high cost of healthcare.

Under the increased insurance cover for patients seeking treatment in public and private hospitals, patients will receive cover even when they have chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and hypertension.

The vast majority of Kenyans struggle to settle medical bills, and far too many families face financial ruin owing to the high medical fees charged in most hospitals.

Informal methods to pay for treatment are now an acceptable facet of life for most Kenyans, many who hold fundraisers to offset medical costs. In extreme cases, some patients are forced to sell family property, while others are detained in hospitals and left humiliated and dehumanised.

Hopefully, some of this pain will be alleviated. Under the new scheme, patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer will have more attractive insurance packages.

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Those who need chemotherapy, for instance, will be covered for Sh25,000 for each session, while those undergoing radiology will be covered for up to Sh18,000 for each visit.

Cover for a kidney transplant has been stepped up from Sh200,000 to Sh500,000, while expectant mothers have also got a reprieve where normal delivery will have a cover of Sh10,000 up from Sh6,000.

This may seem like a drop in the ocean going by the high costs of treatment, but it is a step in the right direction. To receive this cover, patients have to register under NHIF. We urge them to do this to get this crucial service.

Going forward, the NHIF should make every effort to include the majority of poor Kenyans in the scheme as access to universal healthcare is a constitutional right. No Kenyan should die or suffer because of the prohibitive cost of treatment.

By raising the contribution for those in formal employment from Sh200 to Sh2,000, the NHIF should ensure that all Kenyans get access to quality healthcare.