Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has sent a passionate plea to President William Ruto to intervene and have Sh2.1 billion released to NHIF to clear accrued bills owed to various hospitals in Nairobi.
Passaris said some facilities are holding patients until the bills are cleared and the little she has managed to mobilise can manage to only offset 50 per cent of bills for 60 patients at the Mbagathi Hospital.
“So for me is to really appeal to you while you are in Naivasha before the CS Treasury leaves, and the CS of Health leaves, can we have a commitment to release at least five to Sh10 billion to NHIF so that Nairobi can get its Sh2.1 billion for Kenyatta National Hospital and the facilities that are in Nairobi County,” she said.
Passaris spoke Tuesday in a video message at the Mbagathi Hospital on the second day Ruto was leading a Cabinet retreat in Naivasha where the Council of Governors was in attendance.
The Woman Rep cautioned that unless the funds are released to the national insurer, public hospitals are on the verge of slumping into total paralysis under the weight of Sh8 billion in waivers.
“We will need some kind of push to look at the total waivers that we have from the hospitals over the years and how to cushion them because the hospitals are actually going to be paralysed and if they are paralysed, we will not achieve Universal Health Care which I know is dear to you,” Passaris told the President.
She said ahead of the impending transition from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), facilities must start offering new services under the social fund from a stable financial position.
Passaris said NHIF owes KNH Sh1.6 billion while the rest public health facilities in the county are cumulatively owed Sh480 million.
She said she followed it up with NHIF CEO Elijah Wachira but he informed her that his hands are tied.
The lawmaker said the CEO informed her that the government owes NHIF Sh32 billion as cover for civil servants whilst the money the fund collects in member contributions and from private entities is insufficient to offset what Nairobi facilities are owed.
“I’m sure the situation is a lot worse if you go countrywide, so while you are having this retreat you have the Treasury CS there, you have got the Health CS there, I think you’ve got the governor there. We need to make sure NHIF is funded even in tranches,” she said.
“County facilities are having huge problems; they are holding some patients until they can raise some money. I’m at the Mbagathi Hospital today and I have tried to raise about Sh350,000 so that I could pay 50 per cent of the bill to release 60 patients who are crying and in dire need to go home.”
In August last year, the Cabinet repealed the NHIF and replaced it with three separate funds in its bid to accelerate universal health coverage.
The Primary Healthcare Fund, Social Health Insurance Fund and the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund will expand the scope of illness covered by insurance including cancer as well as see the government cover fees for the poor who will be unable to raise the Sh300 contribution.
The 57-year-old NHIF is expected to be fully wound up by October 19, 2024, and transfer all the funds to SHIF.
