Nakhumicha lauds Court of Appeal on SHIF greenlight
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha has lauded the Court of Appeal’s ruling that gives the government the green light to implement the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
The CS, in a statement to the media, noted the verdict paves the way for the implementation of a robust healthcare system in the country.
She highlighted the integral role of SHIF in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), a flagship project under the Kenya Kwanza administration’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
The fund, domiciled in SHIA, aims to streamline and strengthen health service delivery in Kenya.
“I applaud the Court of Appeal for its swift decision greenlighting the implementation of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF). This opens the door for a resilient healthcare system that perfectly aligns with the laid-out strategies for the enrollment of UHC,” said the CS.
Her statement came just a day after the Court of Appeal lifted an order, barring the implementation of the SHIF.
The SHIF is poised to address the limitations observed in the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) by prioritising equitable access to affordable and comprehensive healthcare services for all Kenyans, irrespective of their financial capabilities.
The patient-based approach aims to provide inclusive coverage for common illnesses, accidents, chronic conditions, and critical illnesses, thereby reducing catastrophic expenditures for costly services not previously covered by NHIF.
Furthermore, CS Nakhumicha highlighted that the Court of Appeal’s decision clears any reservations Kenyans may have had about contributing to the SHIF, especially with NHIF’s suspension.
This ruling instills confidence among millions of Kenyans who rely on the insurance fund to access medical services.
“The Fund is anchored in a health finance mechanism that will equitably protect people against financial and health burdens through a monthly premium. The Social Health Insurance (SHI) remains one of the mechanisms for achieving UHC which aims to advance quality and affordable healthcare to all Kenyans regardless of their financial abilities across all levels of government hospital,” she added.
The SHIF is part of a comprehensive healthcare reform package that includes the Digital Health Act, Primary Healthcare Act, and Facility Improvement Financing Act.
The Primary Healthcare Act, currently being implemented through the absorption of 100,000 Community Health Promoters, aims to strengthen preventive health services.
Simultaneously, the Digital Health Act will promote telemedicine and digitization of health services, contributing to the elimination of corruption through transparent transactions within health facilities.
On the other hand, the Facility Improvement Financing Act will ensure funds raised in public health facilities are reinvested to adequately resource hospitals for smooth day-to-day running and efficient health service delivery.
Notably, the Social Health Insurance Act replaces the NHIF by creating three new funds which include the Primary Health Care Fund, the Social Health Insurance Fund, and the Chronic Illness and Emergency Fund.
“The implementation of the Fund will prioritize equitable access to affordable and comprehensive healthcare services for all Kenyans without discrimination based on their specific ailments. This patient-based approach aims to address the limitations observed in the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and ensure inclusive coverage for common illnesses, accidents, chronic conditions, and critical illnesses which will reduce catastrophic expenditure for costly services that were previously not covered by NHIF,” added CS Nakhumicha.
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