‘No Cash, Just Care’ Moses Kuria Reaffirms Free Maternal Services for Meru Hospital Patients

Senior Advisor to the Council of Economic Advisors Moses Kuria

Senior Advisor to the Council of Economic Advisors Moses Kuria has directed that patients at Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital should not pay any cash for maternal and child care services during the transition period from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the Social Health Authority (SHA)

Kuria said this in a statement on Friday following concerns that the rollout of the SHA system, which replaces the NHIF, may disrupt services.

"To all patients of Meru Teaching & Referral Hospital. During the transition from NHIF to SHIF and SHA (Taifa Care), all maternal (Linda Mama) and Child Care services will continue as before. Ignore the demands by the Management to charge cash for the same," Kuria stated. 

Kuria further urged that if it happens, one should report the matter to the nearest police station if such demands continue.

SHA officially came into force on October 1, 2024, marking an end to NHIF.

Consequently, SHA has instructed that all contracted health service providers must ensure service provision is uninterrupted during the transition.

In a letter dated September 30, Acting CEO at SHA E.G. Wachira ordered that service providers should ensure that maternity services continue at KEPH levels 2 and 3.

SHA implementation starts from 2024 to 2026 and covers a range of areas, including the establishment of three funds: the Primary Health Fund, or PHF; the Social Health Insurance Fund, or SHIF; and the Emergency, Chronic, and Critical Illness Fund, or ECCIL.

SHIF would cover the costs of higher-level medical services, while PHF would provide coverage for lower-tier services.

The Ministry of Health is equally working on ensuring informal sector workers pay 2.75 percent of their yearly income to the SHA, following the results of a pilot study carried out in eight counties with 2,000 participants involved.