A campaign to ensure all Nyandarua adults are enrolled with NHIF will soon be rolled out, Governor Francis Kimemia has said.
Kimemia, who was launching a Sh30 million county-funded NHIF programme at Murungaru town on Wednesday, said, "We shall roll out a vigorous campaign to ensure all Nyandarua residents are enrolled. Never should a family lose their property or fail to get treatment because of their social status."
The programme will benefit 30,000 people in 4,572 households.
Nyandarua has 144,000 households and an estimated population of 700,000, according to the officer in charge of NHIF in the county, Nina Muthamia. Only 54,000 households are enrolled with the fund.
This is a big problem, Kimemia said. “We have been paying money for people who get stuck in hospitals for failing to pay medical bills and those whose bodies of their loved ones are held. We have also held many harambees. This will end if all residents get enrolled with NHIF.”
The NHIF programme resonates with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four agenda, under the Universal Health Care pillar. It is the President's wish that all Kenyans are NHIF-covered covered by January 2020.
"This programme targets the most vulnerable and needy members of our society, those who cannot afford to pay for their subscription because of poverty and those suffering terminal illnesses."
The governor said there were about 300 cancer patients in the county due to benefit from the county programme.
Muthamia said elected leaders should ensure that no resident is left behind.
“We have a long way to go as a county. I challenge the MPs and MCAs to sponsor people. If each sponsors about 200 people, we shall have everyone in Nyandarua covered," she said.
Kimemia said the programme was one of his 2017 campaign pledges. Those enrolled can access medical services in private and public facilities. The annual subscription will be paid by the county government.
The governor urged residents, most of whom are farmers, to keep their subscription active.
“You don’t have to pay the Sh6,000 annual subscription all at once. Saving as little as Sh500 every month will take you a long way should illness strike," he said.
A satellite NHIF office will be opened in Engineer town next financial year to take services closer to the people. A similar office will be opened later in Mairo Inya town, Ndaragwa.
