One million vulnerable families countrywide to benefit from UHC plan

Close to One million vulnerable families across the country will benefit from the Universal Health Care (UHC) scheme once the NHIF bill is passed into law.

The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health Sabina Chege has noted that the beneficiaries have been identified and once the bill goes through, they will start accessing free medical services.

Sabina noted that the Senate made some changes to the bill which the Committee has adopted adding on January 22, the bill will be tabled in the National Assembly.

“Between 22nd and 23rd of January, the bill will be in the National Assembly and once it is passed, it will be presented to the President for assent. Once the bill becomes law, by the end of January, the listed families will start receiving free medical care,” Chege said when educating locals in Murang'a County on Mental health care.

She added that Sh6 billion has been allocated to the Health Ministry to roll out UHC.

In the revised proposal presented to the NHIF, the UHC is expected in future to benefit about 5 million vulnerable families across the country.

The bill also seeks to have every Kenyan be a member of NHIF to support the provision of cheap medical care.

She said that the government targets to increase the number of beneficiaries to more than 4 million within a period of two years.

Chege noted that the high cost of medication has affected many families which cannot afford treatment for their loved ones.

“We are in deliberations with key stakeholders in the health sector with a view of finding ways to lower the cost of medical care. Several families have been unable to bury their loved ones after they could not foot accumulated hospital bills,” Chege stated.

She also said that the Ministry of Health needs to roll out programs to sensitize Kenyans about mental health.