Teething challenges have emerged two months after teachers were onboarded under the Social Health Authority (SHA) scheme, in the wake of a horrific road accident on Thika Road on Saturday that has since claimed the lives of three teachers.
The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) yesterday condemned how some hospitals declined or delayed attending to injured teachers, insisting that they pay cash.
The accident occurred when the driver of a 33-seater matatu lost control of the vehicle and rammed into a group of teachers outside City Primary School in Ngara, Nairobi where they had gathered to participate in the Nairobi branch Kuppet elections.
“Guru Nanak decided to chase away our patients and therefore the government should take responsibility to ensure such facilities are not in business with government because how can they look at money before looking at saving human life?” posed Kuppet Secretary-General Akelo Misori.
Union officials noted similar challenges were experienced at the Aga Khan Hospital and Nairobi West Hospital before officials from SHA intervened to iron things out.
Mr Misori noted that it is now emerging that a large number of teachers are yet to register as members of SHA, which disadvantages them when they require medical attention.
“For instance, there were delays in undertaking treatment of a teacher who was taken to Kenyatta National Hospital where it's only after parents had raised Sh80,000 that surgery was performed, 48 hours later,” he said.
Kuppet Chairperson Omboko Milemba called on the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to speedily accredit all hospitals that had not been accredited to SHA to clear such hiccups.
“Because we noticed Avenue Hospital was complaining, Guru Nanak and Aga Khan was originally complaining,” said Mr Milema at Milimani Comprehensive Primary School when KUPPET officials visited the institution to condole with the school following the loss of its two staff members following the accident.
The TSC in December last year migrated teachers from a health insurance cover offered by Minet Kenya to the Public Officers’ Medical Scheme Fund administered by the SHA.
The comprehensive medical cover under SHA includes benefits such as inpatient and outpatient services, maternity care, chronic illness management, dental services, optical services and air evacuation, last expenses and overseas treatment.
Up to 26 teachers involved in the Saturday accident were rushed to various hospitals around the city, including KNH, Nairobi West, Scholastica, Radiant and Mater Hospital where they are receiving medical attention, including critical care for the seriously injured.
Two of the three teachers who died and taught at Milimani Comprehensive Primary school were Jacob Kingóo and Faith Ngumi.
King’oo was head of STEM at the institution and had planned to wed at the end of the year, while Ms Ngumi, who was head of the Social Sciences, leaves behind four children.
“We are saddened to have lost two teachers in the Saturday incident, yet we were with them in school last Friday,” said Milimani School Principal Rebecca Anyonyi.
