Health and Sanitation Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha has said that in a month’s time the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) will get a new CEO who will lead the organization.
Speaking at a funeral service in Bungoma over the weekend, the CS noted health docket was a huge mess when she took office.
“When I was appointed the CS for health, I found the ministry in a huge mess. There was corruption both at Kemsa and NHIF which I have managed to clear and will be installing a new CEO soon,” Nakhumicha noted.
Nakhumicha revealed the government has employed 100,000 community health promoters to help improve delivery of health services to the grassroots.
She added that the health promoters have been equipped with first aid kits and will be offering services to the sick in the communities.
“The work of the community health promoters is not only offering first aid but also sensitising locals on the importance of enrolling on the NHIF health cover,” she said.
The CS decried the low number of residents in the Western region who have enrolled on the NHIF cover. She challenged the locals to register so that they don’t find it hard to access the health services.
In addition, she revealed that in two months’ time the government intends to lower the NHIF subscription fee from Ksh. 500 to Ksh. 300 to allow many people to get enrolled.
The CS also asked students who want to study nursing in the Kenya Medical Training Colleges (KMTC’s) to register.
“The government has opened the portal for those students planning to join KMTC’s to study different courses, just log in into the portal and apply,” she said.
She noted that the government will also support KMTC students with fees payment.
“We want our children to study nursing, clinical officers at the college level so that they can come back to the community to help,” she said.
