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2,000 Garissa residents to benefit in Phase II of UHC

 

At least 2,000 poor and vulnerable households in Garissa will benefit from Phase 2 of the health insurance subsidy under the universal healthcare scheme by the national government.

County secretary Abdi Sheikh said the process of identifying the beneficiaries had started. He said the county was liaising with the Department of Social Protection to identify the beneficiaries.

Sheikh spoke on Wednesday during a farewell party organised by Garissa medical staff for outgoing Health executive Ahmednadhir Omar.

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe wrote to the county saying the national government was committed to fulfilling its obligation to guarantee all citizens the right to access quality healthcare, including reproductive health and emergency treatment.

Universal Health Coverage has been implemented in a phased approach in the country.

The next phase of UHC scale-up entails an output-financing model, through a scheme nested in NHIF. The beneficiaries shall include the poor and vulnerable households, who shall be supported progressively through insurance subsidies.

“The health sector through the Ministry of Health has undertaken numerous consultative engagements with Council of Governors," Kagwe's letter said.

Garissa Education executive Ahmednadhir Omar is joined by his colleagues in cutting a cake when he handed over the health docket on Wednesday, January 13, 2021
RESHUFFLE: Garissa Education executive Ahmednadhir Omar is joined by his colleagues in cutting a cake when he handed over the health docket on Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO

It said a committee that includes members from the ministry, National Hospital Insurance Fund, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Social Protection Secretariat in the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and partners working in health were working to harmonise the tool to be used in identifying beneficiaries.

Sheikh lauded the outgoing executive for an outstanding performance noting that the administration under Governor Ali Korane has made tremendous achievements in the health sector in the past three years.

"Despite the financial crisis facing the Garissa Referral Hospital coupled with strikes by the health workers, the achievements made by in the health sector cannot be wished away," he said.

He cited the construction of new dispensaries, upgrading and renovation of dispensaries in Garasweino, Baraki and Eldere as among ‘notable achievements’.

He also singled out the expansion of the outpatient units at the Garissa Referral Hospital, construction of a warehouse at health headquarters, staff quarters at Abdisamat, Afya House among the gains made in infrastructural development.

Sheikh said the operationalisation of the ICU, MRI and CT scan at County Referral Hospital under the current administration "will remain among milestone achievements for decades to come."

Omar was also praised for the award won by the county for best performance in the presidential 100 days RRI immunisation and recognition from the national government to select Garissa to pilot primary healthcare modeling.

Garissa medical staff football team praised Omar for initiating the football club to encourage regular participation in physical activities.

Omar will take over the education docket after Korane reshuffled his cabinet last week. The health docket will now be led by Roble Nunow.

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