•The Ministry of Health is already collecting views from Kenyans on the new Social Health Insurance Act of 2023
•This was after the court lifted orders against the implementation of the Act
Image: FILE
Doctors have threatened to down their tools in a month should the government fail to reinstate their medical insurance.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union in a statement on Wednesday noted that the new proposed fund will not offer them the comprehensive services they need.
They now want the government to establish an enhanced medical cover for civil servants in the new Social Health Insurance Fund.
KMPDU SG Davji Atellah said the enhanced medical cover which was being provided under the now-repealed National Health Insurance Fund was offering better services.
According to Atellah, the proposed Social Health Insurance Fund will make healthcare services out of reach for the majority of Kenyans including doctors who will be unable to afford the very services they offer.
“This move threatens to deny many Kenyans access to a comprehensive medical cover despite their substantial contributions through 2.75 per cent gross salary deductions to SHIF,” Atellah said.
The union has rejected what it has termed as an attempt to compromise the medical cover of its members adding that such a move will render doctors and other healthcare workers unable to afford services in hospitals.
“We therefore demand a comprehensive medical cover for our members. Failure to heed this call will force the union into unprecedented mother of all strikes,” Atellah said.
“The government is hereby forewarned to prepare for the most vicious strike the country has ever faced should it fail to address this issue promptly and decisively."
The Ministry of Health is already collecting views from Kenyans on the new Social Health Insurance Act of 2023.
Ministry of Health began public participation in two sets of regulations; the Social Health Insurance (General) Regulations 2024 and the Social Health Insurance (Dispute Resolution Tribunal) Regulations 2024.
This was after the court lifted orders against the implementation of the Social Health Insurance Act 2023.
The regulations will guide the implementation of the Act.
In a public notice, Health CS Susan Nakhumicha has called on Kenyans to submit their views on the regulations either through written memoranda or physical and virtual public participation meetings.
According to the ministry, the Social Health Insurance (General) Regulations 2024 will provide for the implementation of the Primary Healthcare fund, Social Health Insurance Fund emergency, chronic and critical illness Fund.
Already, the transition committee tasked with overseeing the smooth takeover from NHIF to SHIF has been inaugurated.