Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has tasked national administration officers with registering 12 million households for the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) initiative. He stressed that these officers are crucial to the Kenya Kwanza administration’s UHC goals. At the Kenya School of Government, he noted that national government administrative officers (NGAO) are ideal for this job.
Kindiki pointed to NGAO’s success in registering farmers for fertilizer distribution. This shows their capability. He believes they can handle UHC registration efficiently and at a low cost. He also urged the Ministry of Health to give clear information to help these officers communicate with the public.
Health Cabinet Secretary Debra Mulongo also stated that the aim is to enroll 60 percent of households, or 12 million, by October 1. The government plans to use Huduma centres to boost registrations for the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF). This effort is important due to the low enrollment numbers before the rollout.
Currently, only 1.2 million of the 14 million eligible Kenyans under the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) have registered for the new scheme. Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi told the Senate that he directed the Social Health Authority (SHA) to use Huduma centres to speed up registration.
Muturi expressed concern about the low numbers. He said this should worry anyone focused on the successful rollout of UHC. He acknowledged support for the initiative from Mugambi Njeru, acting CEO of the Huduma Kenya Secretariat. However, he admitted that his ministry does not have the authority to enforce the use of Huduma services.
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