A family in Eldoret with three patients suffering from chronic diseases says the government is to blame after one of the trio succumbed to kidney failure for lack of cash to pay a local hospital.
To the family of Elizabeth Cheboi, 66, if NHIF was still operational, their mother would still be alive.
Cheboi died at her home in Chepsiria village in Kipchamo location within Kesses Sub County on Sunday, October 6, after she was turned away from an Eldoret hospital for lack of cash to facilitate her dialysis despite having updated her NHIF card for the next two years.
One of her sons who is also suffering from kidney failure and diabetes expressed the family’s frustration as other members of the same family have been affected by the recent transition from NHIF to SHIF.
“It is like the government wants our entire family to die. If NHIF was still operational our mother wouldn't have died. She has been living with this condition for the last 10 years and has been receiving medication courtesy of NHIF,” said Simon Bor who is suffering from diabetes and kidney problems.
He said despite having fully paid for NHIF for the next two years, he cannot get treatment using the card due to a recent government directive forcing all Kenyans to shift from NHIF to SHIF.
“I paid for NHIF two years ahead with the hope that it will help me get treatment but now it can’t help me. I am scared after my mother died due to a forced transition from NHIF to SHIF I am yet to get a feed on the registration that I made to SHIF,” he said. He faulted the government for forcing Kenyans to transit from NHIF to SHIF without putting in place proper mechanisms to cater to patients, especially those with chronic diseases.
He accused the government of focusing more on the motion to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at the expense of important issues affecting Kenyans.
“If health matters were given attention like the one given to the impeachment motion our mother wouldn't have died. It is like this government wants all of us to die,” said Mr Bor.
When we arrived in their village at Mugobich in Kesses sub County we were met with gloomy faces of villagers and relatives devastated with the death of Cheboi.
“For the last 10 years, we have been treating our mother using NHIF. Today we sit here morning due to a reckless move by the government to force us to transit from NHIF to SHIF, despite having paid for NHIF cover for the next year,” said Henry Tanui a son in the family. Mr Tanui said their efforts to register the deceased with SHIF have been unsuccessful since a week ago. The dead was to undergo dialysis on Friday last week but unfortunately, the family did not have cash hence they resorted to bringing her home and waiting for relatives to fundraise more than the Sh20,000 that was required for the process.
Ruto, listen to my pain! Eldoret man frustrated by SHIF
After raising the required money, the family had planned to take her back to hospital on Monday this week but unfortunately, she succumbed on Sunday evening while at home.
They feel drained financially having exhausted all sources to cater for the late's medical expenses over the years.
Cheptoo Bor daughter of the deceased accused the government of forcing Kenyans to transit to NHIF without a proper mechanism in place.
“Our mother wouldn't have died if it were not for this hurried transition. It is painful for our family to have exhausted all our resources for the sake of the health of our mother but due to the carelessness of our government, she has died,” said Cheptoo.
Despite the death of their mother, they are still worried since they have another member of the family hospitalised with a liver issue and has been in and out of different hospitals since the start of the ongoing NHIF to SHIF transition.
The majority of Kenyans who spoke to the Nation had a perception that the shift from NHIF to SHA would be automatic.
Another issue is the registration for self-employed individuals, who must pay—a hurdle for many.
Despite these hurdles, the government is optimistic that SHIF will succeed as a brilliant idea.
The Ministry of Health insists that the transition will benefit low-income earners, projecting that SHA will generate Sh148 billion to improve the country’s quest for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
