Senior Advisor in President William Ruto‘s Council of Economic Advisors, Moses Kuria, has called out Uasin Gishu Chief Officer of Health, Clinical Services, Joyce Sang, over her direction on beneficiaries of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
In a letter dated Thursday, October 3, Sang asked NHIF beneficiaries in Uasin Gishu County to pay cash for hospital services.
Sang suggested that the move was as a result of challenges that the Social Health Insurance Fund is currently experiencing.
"“The Social Health Authority (SHA) has been established, and the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) has commenced operations from 1st October 2024, replacing the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
“Transition is in place; it is in this regard that patients who were beneficiaries of National Health Insurance Fund are required to pay cash for any service offered as modalities of Social Health Insurance Fund are being handled," Sang directed.
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However, reacting to the letter, Kuria expressed dissatisfaction in the orders, suggesting that Sang's directions were out of order.
"Another candidate for jail," Kuria captioned a copy of the letter on social media platform X.
SHA has faced significant challenges during its rollout, primarily due to data inaccuracies and system failures.
Users reported erroneous entries in their accounts, including fictitious dependents, which created frustration and confusion among many, including those familiar with IT systems.
Additionally, the SHA's transition from NHIF has led to operational disruptions in hospitals.
Patients found themselves stranded without access to necessary services, as the new system was not functioning properly on its launch day.
Another critical issue is the lack of clear contractual agreements between SHA and healthcare facilities, causing uncertainty regarding reimbursements and service provision.
This has left many healthcare administrators hesitant to engage with the new system, further complicating patient care.
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