The Homa Bay county government has allocated Sh10 million to provide poor and vulnerable residents with NHIF coverage.
The county Health department identified 1,500 households that will be supported with the funds from the 2018-19 budget.
Health executive Richard Muga and his Finance counterpart Nicholas Koriko said each household will receive Sh6,000 to be paid by the county directly to the National Health Insurance Fund.
Speaking during the review of the performance of Health department in Homa Bay town on Wednesday, Muga said the households were selected through a survey on families'economic status.
Selected households will benefit for one year, he said.
“It is not automatic that all the households will continue to benefit in subsequent years. We will conduct another survey because the poverty index changes with time."
Muga said they will increase the allocation to Sh15 million next year to increase the number of beneficiaries.
The programme will boost Universal Health Coverage.
Koriko said his department will give every subcounty health department Sh10 million for daily expenditures so they can remit revenue to the county.
Last year, Governor Cyprian Awiti launched a campaign to educate residents on the benefits NHIF.
Awiti said they led the campaign due to the county's high negative healthcare status.
The governor argued that Homa Bay had lost many people from illnesses that could have been prevented through medication. He said illnesses such as malaria, typhoid and others are treatable but kill residents because they are unable to access medical services.
“We’ve realised that poverty means most residents can't afford to go to hospitals. The campaign will ensure they have NHIF cards for treatment.”
The governor appealed to donors o partner with them and support poor families for the health insurance premiums.
Edited by R.Wamochie
