•The ministry has been conducting public participation in two sets of regulations
•This was after the court lifted orders against the implementation of the Social Health Insurance Act 2023
Image: FILE
Health unions will have the opportunity to submit their views on the draft Social Health Insurance draft Regulations.
The Ministry of Health invited the unions to a public participation forum on Friday.
The ministry in a letter invited representatives from the Kenya Medical Practitioner, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), and Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO).
Others include the Kenya Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KUMLO), Kenya Union of Public Health Officers, Kenya County Government Workers Union and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions and Hospitals.
In the letter signed by Adan Harakhe on behalf of the Cabinet Secretary, the health sector unions will be required to nominate three people who will submit their views on the regulations.
"The Cabinet Secretary, in consultation with the board of Authority, has developed two sets of draft regulations to the Social Health Insurance Act and regulatory impact statement on the regulations.
“The ministry invites you to nominate three representatives of your organisation to attend a meeting in Nairobi to submit written comments, views, or representations regarding the draft regulations,” Harakhe said.
The ministry has been conducting 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 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.
This comes even as the doctors this week threatened to down their tools in a month should the government fail to reinstate their medical insurance.
KMPDU 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.