UHC: Governors want NHIF registrations stopped
Governor Wycliffe Oparanya gives Fridah Musungu a medical cover card during the official launch of Universal Health Coverage in Kakamega on April 5, 2019.
What you need to know:
- Being a shared institution serving both levels of government, Mr Oparanya said, “The NHIF cannot proceed to implement any health programmes in the Counties without consultation with county governments.
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four plan of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2022 is facing fresh headwinds after governors on Tuesday demanded a stop to the registration of Kenyans under the plan, saying they were not consulted.
In a statement, Council of Governors chairman Wycliffe Oparanya said the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) should immediately stop the registration of Kenyans under the UHC plan.
“UHC delivery is not a function of the NHIF. It is a joint responsibility for the county governments and the national government. It follows therefore that NHIF registration cannot be done in counties without consultation with the county governments.
"Such an important process can only be undertaken once the two levels of government have discussed and agreed on the modalities for the delivery of UHC,” Mr Oparanya said in a statement.
The Kakamega governor cited the ongoing reforms at the national health insurer as the other reason the county bosses were opposed to the NHIF exercise.
“The NHIF reform process has not been finalized and it requires the involvement of both levels of government. The Multi-Agency Taskforce report is yet to be adopted and disseminated. This report contains significant recommendations that were proposed by the counties,” said Mr Oparanya.
Being a shared institution serving both levels of government, Mr Oparanya said, “The NHIF cannot proceed to implement any health programmes in the Counties without consultation with county governments.”
Launched in 2018, the UHC programme was first piloted in Machakos, Nyeri, Kisumu and Isiolo, and cost Sh3.17 billion targeting 3.2 million Kenyans, with the participating counties given Sh800 million each and an extra Sh800 million for referral cases.
In the statement Tuesday, Mr Oparanya said the governors were in full support of the UHC.
“County governments are keen to ensure that all Kenyans, no matter their status, access affordable and quality healthcare. Further, county governments are willing to partner with the national government to deliver this promise,” Mr Oparanya said, warning that even then, the national government was still required to consult them before implementing health programmes in the devolved units.
