The Ministry of Health in Kenya has urged National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) accredited hospitals to resume treating patients after the government remitted funds to the national insurer.
This appeal comes after some hospitals had stopped accepting NHIF cards as a mode of payment due to delays by the National Treasury in remitting funds to the NHIF kitty.
However, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha confirmed that the National Treasury had disbursed funds to the NHIF for settlement of claims by various service providers nationwide.
Nakhumicha emphasized that her ministry would ensure accountability in paying providers and that all claims would be thoroughly verified before settlement.
She expressed her commitment to delivering health services to grassroots communities and pledged that NHIF would execute its mandate with utmost objectivity, transparency, and excellence towards fulfilling the Afya Mashinani promise.
National Treasury Principal Chris Kiptoo announced on Saturday that Sh33.3 billion had been released to counties to settle pending bills, with an additional Sh11.1 billion paid to NHIF.
The Sh33.3 billion payout entailed equitable revenue share of April, enabling counties to deliver key services to citizens while Sh10 billion was allocated for Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Kiptoo stated that the National Treasury was keen on clearing pending bills promptly to ensure optimal functioning of various government departments.
The resumption of treatment at NHIF-accredited hospitals is a welcome relief for Kenyans who have been struggling with limited access to healthcare due to delayed payments by the national insurer.
With this development, patients can now receive medical attention without worrying about payment issues or being turned away from hospitals.
