Fifty students have so far received treatment overseas under the government's Edu Afya scheme.
The Ministry of Education and NHIF signed a contract last year to offer comprehensive medical cover for public secondary school students.
Under the plan, the government deducts Sh1,350 from a learner’s capitation to cater for the premiums. The NHIF guidelines on the cover allow students to walk into registered hospitals for medical care and use the cover even during holidays.
According to NHIF, 300,000 students have received outpatient treatment while 30,000 have so far received inpatient treatment services since it was introduced.
“Not all students are correctly registered in the National Education Management Information System (Nemis) but that doesn’t mean they are denied services,” Linda Mugiri, senior operations officer at NHIF, said.
Mugiri dismissed claims some students had been denied services due to lack of NHIF cards.
“We want to do away with cards altogether and come up with an electronic system. Lack of cards will not stop you from getting treatment,” Mugiri said.
She admitted that many secondary school students are missing in the NEMIS register due to errors in registration.
However, officials from NHIF are going to schools to help rectify some of the hiccups.
The cover caters for outpatient, dental, inpatient, optical, emergency, road rescue and overseas treatment.
Parents of students who die in accidents or of illnesses while in school receive Sh600,000 for funerals.
