The Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) has enlisted some 326,000 people in the city county to the national medical insurance scheme.
NMS Health Services Director Ouma Oluga said the target population comprises the most vulnerable residents and 66,000 families are already enjoying the services.
Each household gets Sh6,000 per year under the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
“We are providing this service under the government’s Universal Health Care policy. NMS has identified, registered and qualified over 326,000 vulnerable people for NHIF,” Dr Oluga said.
The aim is to cover 20 per cent of Nairobi’s poor households in the first phase using a tool developed by the Ministry of Health (MoH) to identify beneficiaries.
The 2019 census puts Nairobi County’s population at 1.5 million households with a total individual population of 4.3 million,although the exact number of poor households is not known.
“Once we cover that population, the rest of the people are either working and can afford healthcare or have employers who can pay for the cover,” Dr Oluga said.
He said the agency, which is led by Lt-Gen Mohamed Badi, is committed to providing quality and affordable healthcare to all residents. Dr Oluga cited construction of 28 hospitals and rehabilitation of four health centres, with 15 completed and commissioned by President Kenyatta.
The hospitals that have been built in informal settlements target a population of 3.1 million, most of them dependent on Kenyatta National Hospital, thus easing pressure on the national referral facility.
Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, with a catchment population of 2.1 million, has also been upgraded from Level Four to Five.
Since its upgrade, Dr Oluga says, Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital continues to provide integrated healthcare to Eastlands residents.
Dr Oluga said Kibra Level Three Hospital has significantly enhanced healthcare quality for Kibra’s and its environs’ residents.
The recently launched out-patient facility offers a wide range of medical services for over 200 patients in a day, Dr Oluga said.
In February, he added, the hospital’s maternity wing oversaw 110 safe deliveries. “The Linda Mama Programme, a free health insurance cover for pregnant mothers, is offered at the facility.”
Dr Oluga added: “To enhance access to health services at ward level, NMS is upgrading Mihang’o Community and Baba Dogo dispensaries.”
This, he said, will see the health facilities acquire more medical equipment and staff to improve services and uplift their capacity.”
