NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 3 — Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has criticized the government’s communication team for failing to effectively inform the public about the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
Khalwale pointed out the challenges surrounding the infrastructure used to implement SHIF, which he believes has caused confusion among potential users.
“The problem lies in the government’s communication through the office of the government spokesperson. They should have clarified that the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) is more expensive than SHIF,” he stated. “The issue is not that SHIF is flawed; rather, it is the mismanagement of SHIF that has created these problems.”
The new health insurance model has come under increasing scrutiny from the public, with reports indicating that some health facilities are requiring upfront payments before administering treatment.
In response to these concerns, Health Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai announced that the government has disbursed 4.5 billion shillings for SHIF, with an additional similar amount expected to be released soon.
Kimtai cautioned health facilities contracted under the Social Health Authority (SHA) against asking for upfront payments from patients.
He also revealed that the SHA portal has recorded over 13 million new applicants, a number that is expected to grow as the government continues its push for registration ahead of the Christmas festivities.
Source: capitalfm
