Only 68 per cent Kenyans have health insurance cover according to a new report by Twaweza NGO.
The report dubbed 'The status of our health sector' noted most did not have covers as they are
too expensive.
Other reasons were the lack of information on service providers and the feeling that health insurance is unnecessary.
The report released at Uwezo officers in Nairobi on Thursday
found 82 per cent are on the NHIF scheme, 14 per cent are covered by their employers while four per cent pay for insurance.
The Sauti za Wananchi mobile phone survey was carried out from June 7 to 28 and involved 2,000 participants from several counties.
It said the high rate of unemployment was the main reason why many Kenyans are not covered.
Twaweza senior programme manager Victor Rateng
said 74 per cent of Kenyans depend on public health facilities.
But Rateng said public hospitals have many challenges to address despite the large number of patients they receive.
“Almost 92 per cent think the health sector has problems, with 74 per cent complaining about the cost of services and 52 per cent saying the availability of drugs is a challenge,” he said.
The report said these problems result in dissatisfaction in a number of areas.
Forty eight per cent felt they have to wait long hours before they are attended to while 38 per cent said they noticed shortage of nurses and doctors.
Seventeen per cent said there was need to improve sanitation in health facilities.
“If these challenges are not addressed Kenyans will continue to suffer yet it is their constitutional right to enjoy the highest standard of health,” said Rateng
Other issues addressed in the report included the availability of services whereby half of the citizens didn't know of any local ambulance they could call in case of emergency.
“Most of them said they were not aware of the ambulance services or even the numbers to call. In other areas, the ambulances had mechanical problems,” said Rateng.
The survey also found
that out of four households only one goes for tests for cancer (42 per cent), high blood pressure (29 per cent)
and diabetes (25 per cent).
Rateng said awareness must be created on the need for screening for non-communicable diseases as very few people go for the examinations.
He noted screening enables early detection which minimises the number of deaths.
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