Government to upgrade hospitals to cater for bodaboda riders
The Ministry of Health is taking steps to upgrade hospitals specifically to cater to the needs of boda boda riders, according to Susan Nakhumicha, the Health cabinet secretary.
Speaking at the launch of the BodaBoda Care initiative, Nakhumicha emphasized the ministry’s commitment to providing better healthcare services and ensuring the well-being of passengers.
“We are working together to promote health and prevent diseases. A good number has gone through training for first aid, and we are determined to serve the boda boda riders well,” Nakhumicha stated. She further mentioned that the country’s referral hospitals would employ skilled medical personnel to handle accidents and mental health problems related to boda boda riders.
In addition to the hospital upgrades, Nakhumicha announced that all boda boda riders would receive a complimentary one-year membership to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). Encouraging riders to enroll their family members, she emphasized that the program should be seen as a collective resource rather than personal property.
“We are giving a group of boda boda riders a cover for a whole year through NHIF. Ensure your family members are listed, including your wife and children. It is not a personal property,” she urged. Nakhumicha believes that by providing greater health access, the initiative will motivate boda boda riders to prioritize safety while on the roads.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Health has begun the process of transforming the National Health Insurance Fund into a new National Social Health Insurance Fund (NSHIF) in order to enhance its effectiveness and transparency. Once implemented, the NSHIF will ensure that claims for healthcare services provided across all facilities, whether public, private, or faith-based, are paid at the same rate.
“As we reform NHIF, we want to have a new vehicle; a social health insurance that takes care of the needs of Kenyans, so that should a patient choose to walk into Coptic Hospital, Coptic will have its bill paid by a new social health insurance scheme,” explained Nakhumicha, highlighting the goal of the upcoming changes.
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