Patients seeking dialysis at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH) are receiving uninterrupted services, according to Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa. “We are pleased with the progress, especially in dialysis, where all patients have been registered and no one has missed treatment,” Barasa said during her evaluation of health facilities in Mombasa. The visit was part of the rollout of the Social Health Authority (SHA).
Barasa emphasized that the collaboration between national and county governments, SHA, and other stakeholders has ensured a smooth transition for patients. However, she noted that registration in the cancer treatment segment is lagging, though no patient will be denied care. “We are encouraging registration, but no one will be turned away. Every patient deserves treatment,” she added.
CGTRH Chief Executive Officer Iqbal Khandwala confirmed that the hospital continues to treat cancer and dialysis patients, regardless of their registration status. “In Mombasa County, everything is functioning well, and all 30 chemotherapy patients we serve daily receive their treatment,” Khandwala said. He added that once SHA is fully implemented, accessing healthcare services will be even more seamless for patients.
Ibrahim Alio, SHA’s director of corporate services, highlighted ongoing efforts to raise awareness and register people at the grassroots level, using community health promoters and government officers to spread information. He emphasized that registered patients can access healthcare services at any facility nationwide without paying, a significant improvement over the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), which required patients to choose a specific facility for treatment.
Alio also explained that all primary health facilities have been mapped, ensuring patients can receive care anywhere in the country. “If someone registered in Mombasa falls ill in Kisumu, they can still access services there,” he noted.
