Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni, addressing residents in Kirinyaga Central, made it clear that hospital managers have no leeway to sidestep the order. “No patient registered under the Social Health Insurance scheme should pay a single shilling for outpatient care at these facilities,” she warned. “We will be vigilant. Those who defy this directive risk losing their licences.”
The arrangement is straightforward: treatment at levels 2 and 3 facilities is free for SHA-registered patients, while payments apply only when they are referred to higher-level hospitals. The Ministry of Health has positioned the policy as part of a broader reform package intended to make healthcare accessible and affordable.
However, the president’s message was not without political undertones. Speaking in Kiambu County, Ruto directly cautioned Governor Kimani Wamatangi after reports emerged that some hospitals in the county continue to charge patients despite receiving full reimbursement through Universal Health Coverage (UHC) funding.
The push for compliance reflects the government’s determination to ease the financial burden on households, particularly in underserved regions. With the state covering costs through UHC, officials argue there is no justification for extra charges.
Still, the directive raises questions about enforcement. Will county hospitals adhere to the order, or will they quietly resist, citing operational pressures and funding gaps? For now, the health ministry is standing firm, licence cancellations and public exposure await any facility caught defying the president’s instruction.
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