Speed up NHIF audit to curb fraud and theft
The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) is the preferred vehicle that is expected to improve the people’s access to quality and affordable healthcare. This is at the core of the universal health coverage (UHC), which is the comprehensive programme that should enable this.
Corruption, however, is the biggest threat to the lofty dream to roll out public healthcare by getting the would-be beneficiaries to contribute to the fund. While a pilot was carried in several counties to test the country’s readiness for the UHC, its rollout remains a dream. However, there has lately been an uptake, with more Kenyans in salaried employment and in those in self-employment, trade and small businesses registering for NHIF membership. Medical care is quite expensive, and this is precisely why a well-managed NHIF should come in quite handy.
A functioning healthcare delivery system is what the people need, but fraudsters have been positioning themselves to reap where they have not sown. It is, therefore, encouraging to note that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has on invitation from NHIF itself launched an audit. The aim is to streamline operations and plug any loopholes that wayward employees exploit to engage in corruption.
The EACC has 45 days to investigate and produce a report that the NHIF management will use for its reforms to get the UHC running. The fund faces challenges in curbing fraud and abuse, leading to the loss of resources. It, for example, suffered a Sh6 billion loss in the last financial year, attributed to non-payment of premiums and due to fraudulent payments.
One of the main sources of concern has been the Edu Afya scheme that caters for high school students. The claims under this scheme have surged to Sh3.5 billion in the last financial year from Sh800 million four years ago. To effectively curb corruption, the NHIF management says it has introduced biometric verification to ensure accurate identification of beneficiaries and minimise identity-related fraud. What the people actually need is a robust health system that will ensure access to essential services.
A healthy population is a potentially productive one and exactly what is needed to boost economic growth and national development.
