Streamline new fund for healthcare delivery

Access to quality affordable healthcare is a right that should be guaranteed for all eligible Kenyans. This is what the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) failed to do over the years, necessitating its phasing out.The expectation from the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), which is one of President William Ruto’s pet projects, is that it will be carefully implemented so that it takes off on a sound footing.The NHIF has always been dogged by corruption and mismanagement, hampering service delivery. The officials making preparations for the introduction of the SHIF should, therefore, leave nothing to chance by carefully evaluating any concerns that arise.A Senate committee has, for instance, rejected two proposed SHIF subsidiary laws. The Delegated Legislation Committee has recommended that the Social Health Insurance (General) Regulations, 2024, and the Social Health Insurance (Tribunal Procedure) Regulations, 2024, be annulled reportedly for lack of public participation.This is a crucial constitutional requirement that ensures that the people have a say in key decisions affecting their lives directly or even indirectly. Indeed, the courts have set a precedent by throwing out plans and decisions found to have been arrived at without public participation.The committee has also accused Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha of failing to provide a satisfactory explanation of the formula used to come up with the 2.75 per cent annual contribution by members and safety of data.As the CS has already announced an extension of the rollout of the SHIF from today to October, this is an opportunity to scrutinise and clear any loopholes and fix shortcomings. Unless the Senate is satisfied that everything is proper, the new fund could take longer to become operational.The Senate has also faulted CS Nakhumicha for allegedly not highlighting the financial implications of the SHIF rules and regulations, which will have a huge impact on the public.There should be a seamless transition to the SHIF from the NHIF, whose cardholders, the Senate committee is concerned are being turned away from hospitals. Everything should be streamlined and the registration properly done so that nobody is disadvantaged by being denied healthcare.