Covid-19: State plans Sh6bn health cover for vulnerable groups
People walk past a wall with a message on preventing the spread of the coronavirus at Kibra in Nairobi on April 16, 2020.
What you need to know:
- Dr Patrick Amoth, the acting Health Services Director-General, said on Saturday that people living with disabilities, the poor and those with chronic ailments will benefit.
- Dr Amoth underscored the need for home-based care for Covid-19 patients, saying 90 per cent of Kenya’s infected population is asymptomatic.
The government has set aside Sh6 billion for a health cover for Kenyans as the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic intensifies.
Dr Patrick Amoth, the acting Health Services Director-General, said on Saturday that people living with disabilities, the poor and those with chronic ailments will benefit.
Through the Universal Health Coverage programme, the beneficiaries will be given National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) cards for access to treatment.
"We shall soon roll out the health cover for the vulnerable," Dr Amoth said at Embu County Referral Hospital after Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe gave the daily update on the Covid-19 pandemic.
The government will work with counties to identify the beneficiaries, he said, adding counties are expected to complement its efforts by providing more funds.
HOME CARE
Dr Amoth underscored the need for home-based care for Covid-19 patients, saying 90 per cent of Kenya’s infected population is asymptomatic.
"They can be well handled at home," he said, adding 60,000 volunteers have been trained to monitor home-based care and recommend further treatments for patients if need be.
CS Kagwe announced 688 new cases of the virus, which raised Kenya’s count to 12,750. He also announced 457 more recoveries and three more deaths.
Mr Kagwe expressed concern that the virus is spreading fast among communities, hence the need for the people to take personal responsibility.
