Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has pointed accusing fingers at cartels behind the recent resistance witnessed in the rollout of the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
Speaking on Sunday, November 3, 2024, Mudavadi pointed out that some of the opposition witnessed in the country over the SHIF rollout can be attributed to graft cartels who wanted to cling to the now-defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) for their interests.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary maintained that some of the graft cartels are still trying to sabotage President William Ruto’s administration in its efforts to make healthcare affordable for all.
However, he asked Kenyans to be careful not to be misled by individuals pursuing their selfish agenda.
“When you hear this noise it is also because corruption is fighting back. They do not have the change that will help every Kenyan,” Mudavadi stated.
“So let us be very careful because corruption fights back.”
Speaking after Mudavadi, President William Ruto also defended SHIF maintaining that it is a well-thought plan to shoulder Kenyans from the cost of healthcare in the country.
Ruto told the congregants that SHIF would address the perennial problem where patients were left to die after exhausting funds from their NHIF accounts.
He further announced that all Kenyans will have the privilege of accessing premium services.
“Before (SHA), health insurance was a preserve of the able. Now, through the new system (SHA), health insurance will reach every Kenyan. You do not have to have a job or be able (to pay premiums). The government will pay SHIF premiums for those who are not able to pay. Before, Kenyans would go to the hospital (with cancer, diabetes, hypertension) and after some time be told that the money in his/her card is exhausted. He would be told, ‘go home and wait for death’. How heartless can we be?” Ruto posed.
“In our new system, no Kenyan will be removed from the hospital just because his/her money is exhausted. The new system enables every Kenyan to be treated with or without money because that is what our constitution demands of us,” he added.
On his side, Leader of Majority Kimani Ichung’wah stated that the appointment of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki will help the government spell out its health agenda in collaboration with the governors.
“Now that we have sworn in the Deputy President, some of the duties you (referring to President William Ruto) will assign him in the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) let him work with these governors to educate Kenyans on the Social Health Insurance Fund because the problem we have is that they are not fully informed,” Ichung’wah stated.
