The Social Health Authority building in Nairobi.
The government is banking on Members of Parliament to recruit more people in the Social Health Authority (SHA) and also popularise the new plan.
The lawmakers, who are currently on their long Christmas holiday until February next year, are expected to seize the opportunity to explain to the people the benefits of the new health scheme.
In a recent informal meeting (kamkunji) attended by the Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Mulongo, speakers of both Houses implored on the MPs to communicate effectively about the new system.
Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula said the session was meant to communicate and make clear issues so that MPs in their communication do not confuse the public further.
“I believe that as leaders, you can use your offices which are paid by us to support the process of registration of wananchi who probably have not been told whether the registration costs money or not,” speaker Wetang’ula said.
Senate speaker Amason Kingi said the purpose of the meeting was for the team from the ministry to inform members so that when they go to the ground they have answers.
“As leaders, we have the task of ensuring this message is taken to the people as required,” he added.
Mwala MP Vincent Musyoka said they were urged to preach the SHA gospel to the people.
“There was a clarion call from the ministry and leadership to preach the gospel to as many people as possible. People clearly need to understand the categories and benefits as compared to NHIF,” Mr Musyoka said.
“Majority of MPs seem not to understand SHIF like what is the mean testing instrument used by the ministry, registration, packages available and the various aspects of contributions,” Mr Musyoka said.
However, MPs have now come out saying the task will not be easy as some of the pertinent questions they raised were not answered.
“I am not opposing the Kenya Kwanza government but can someone tell me how do I defend this Adani fraudulent and opaque deal which cost Sh104 billion and left thousands dead in its wake not to mention the pain and misery left to the widows and orphans,” Mr Muriu said on Wednesday on his X account.
On Friday, Mr Muriu told the Nation.Africa that he cannot defend a ‘gospel’ he does not believe in.
“You must first of all believe in something then embrace it. How do I explain to people in a baraza about the Adani deal? Some things can’t just be explained,” Mr Muriu said.
The lawmaker said the migration from the now defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to SHA should have been done in phases in order to check on the problems and resolve them before full rollout.
“We could have done a dry run for this system. Right now, people are feeling the amount they are paying is not in sync with the services,” Mr Muriu said.
Suba South MP Caroli Omondi asked how they are expected to preach the SHA gospel but questions related to Adani were not answered.
“We raised questions on Adani in the health sector and we did not get answers. How then are we expected to talk about when we don’t have answers? He asked.
Despite the growing dissent and criticism among Kenyans on the new system, President William Ruto during the Jamhuri day celebrations said the government has so far successfully transferred 5.6 million citizens from the now-defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and registered 11 million Kenyans under SHA.
According to the President, the bringing on board of 11 million Kenyans who had no access to health services are now registered.
“I commend Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Bomet, Embu, and Lamu, the five counties that have so far led the way in registering Taifa Care. At the same time, I encourage the people of Marsabit, Garissa, Mandera, West Pokot and Turkana counties to mobilise, register and reap the benefits of this transformative programme,” President Ruto said.
He told off those opposing the gains so far made by his administration on various facets of the economy.
“We encourage everyone, including our critics, to engage on the basis of facts and truth. If some of us persist in the culture of reckless negativity…how long will cynics mobilise Kenyans to deny facts they can touch, feel, and see?" President Ruto posed.
The SHA system which the Kenya Kwanza administration is banking on to transform the healthcare system in the country has been marred with controversies after the claims processing system failed.
Hospitals across the country have reported delays in pre-authorisation for surgeries and other critical procedures leaving many patients seeking treatment in pain or paying in cash.
Some health facilities have also pointed out that they are forced to wait for long even weeks in claims processing.
