Government calls on Makueni residents to register with SHA

PATRICK NYAKUNDI -KNA 

The Deputy Government Spokesperson Mwanaisha Chidzuga has urged Makueni residents to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA) to benefit from affordable medical and healthcare services. 

Chidzuga asked wananchi to go to government health facilities, Huduma Centres, use their phones and Community Health Promoters (CHPs) who have been given gadgets to register. 

She reminded the principal contributors to ensure they register their families, including spouses, children and any other dependents, so that they do not miss treatment when they go to hospital.

She spoke in Wote, at the Makueni County Referral Hospital, during a sensitization forum jointly with the Department of Health Makueni and SHA Makueni Branch. 

The Deputy Government Spokesperson challenged wananchi to supplement government efforts and ensure all people are registered in the area so that they reap the benefits that accrue from SHA.

“Out of 1,000,000 people in the county, only 100,000 have registered with SHA which is 10 per cent. For the programme to succeed, I urge the residents to supplement government efforts for this is a collective responsibility,” she said. 

Warning wananchi against waiting to fall sick to register, Chidzuga said one can access services immediately she/he registers with SHA unlike NHIF where one had to wait for 60 days for the insurance to mature.

“The beauty of SHA, you do not have to wait, you get treatment immediately unlike NHIF where one had to wait for 60 days for it to mature,” she observed. 

Chidzuga noted that initially SHA had challenges which have since been addressed as many patients are get ting services as attested in Makueni County Referral Hospital. 

On debts, she said that the government had already released money to pay for health facilities, saying wananchi now can seek treatment without much problem. 

Consequently, she noted that the hospitals that have been charging wananchi have not signed a contract with SHA, hence challenged the residents to seek treatment from health facilities that have a contract to avert paying for medical services. “The government has released Sh9 billion to pay debts across the country. 

For us, we are verifying the claims and refunding the money immediately to health facilities,” said SHA Eastern Regional Manager Brian Mugambi. 

Mugambi disclosed that already 38 private hospitals and 37 mission hospitals have registered with SHA and wananchi can seek treatment without any problem. 

Speaking at the same function, Department of Health Chief Officer Dr. Stephen Ndolo said that 242 health facilities have registered with SHA, saying wananchi can seek treatment. 

While saying most of the challenges faced earlier have been addressed, Dr. Ndolo said people are accessing services with out any problem, emphasizing the need for wananchi to register to avoid missing medical attention. 

On his part, Makueni County Commissioner Duncan Darusi said the national, county governments and SHA will organize for mass registration in the county soon to ensure people were registered in a bid to benefit from the pro gramme. 

Earlier, Chidzuga paid a courtesy call to Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili who said that the county government was happy with the implementation of SHA and lauded the national government for being a sole provider for primary care in levels 1,2 and 3 hospitals.