The Senate Health Committee scrutinized the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) over its handling of teachers’ grievances regarding the AON Minet insurance scheme, expressing concern over what they termed as a “casual” approach to addressing these issues. Teachers raised complaints about the quality of medical services and the challenges they face while accessing healthcare despite TSC’s substantial investment of Sh17.2 billion in medical coverage for teachers and their dependents.
During the committee session, representatives from the teachers’ unions (KNUT and Kuppet) and the TSC engaged in discussions as senators listened to testimonies detailing the agony experienced by teachers in dealing with service providers. AON Minet, the principal insurer responsible for the multibillion contract covering over a million tutors and their families, was expected to attend the session but failed to appear, prompting further scrutiny into why teachers were not receiving satisfactory services despite the significant financial investment.
Akello Misori, the Secretary General of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), highlighted to the committee instances where teachers were denied medical services despite deductions being made from their salaries for medical allowances. This revelation underscored the urgency for a thorough examination of the issues surrounding the AON Minet insurance scheme and the need for accountability in ensuring that teachers receive the healthcare services they are entitled to under the scheme.
“Teachers are complaining that they are turned away from facilities when they visit a hospital within seven days of being discharged. Sick teachers have been forced to undergo pain as they wait for days for the firm to authorize the provision of services to the service providers,” said Misori.
He disclosed the insurer is either not paying or is doing so later in the day in the event of the death of a principal member, adding that teachers have been denied some services such as MRI services.
“The contract between TSC and Minet has been abused to the extent that teachers suffer The cover does not provide an education programme for teachers. Newly employed teachers do not understand the cover,” said the Kuppet boss.
Teachers’ defence
However, Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary General Collins Oyuu, instead of coming to the defence of the teachers, appeared to side with the employer-TSC, a move that irked the Senators.
“Teachers in my county have been restricted to one facility. Eldoret is the second-largest medical city in the country. How teachers are restricted to one facility baffles me. So Mr SG, do you want to say that you have not heard any other complaints from teachers? posed Mandago.
During the committee session, Oyuu initially stated that the union had not received any pending complaints from teachers regarding the AON Minet insurance scheme. However, the committee challenged this assertion, citing reports in the public domain indicating that several medical facilities had withdrawn AON Minet services for teachers nationwide. Oyuu later acknowledged the existence of complaints, attributing some of the challenges to certain service providers who were not adhering to the required standards.
He admitted that while some issues had been resolved, certain service providers continued to behave inappropriately. Specifically, Oyuu highlighted instances where providers refused to offer services to patients within the first seven days from the initial visit. TSC’s acting CEO, Cheptumo Ayabei, informed the committee that the Commission had taken steps to address the grievances raised by teachers.
This acknowledgment underscored the ongoing efforts to rectify the situation and ensure that teachers receive the medical services they deserve under the AON Minet insurance scheme.
