Three New Funds Replace NHIF: Ruto Cabinet’s Green Light
The Cabinet has approved the proposal to eliminate the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and replace it with three distinct funds.
Primary Healthcare Fund, Social Health Insurance Fund, and Emergency, Chronic, and Critical Illness Fund are the three new funds.
Cabinet members noted during a meeting conducted at the Kakamega State Lounge that the split of NHIF will improve access to healthcare.
The Cabinet stated in a statement that the new development is part of President William Ruto’s government’s larger plan to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Kenya.
“This ushered in a paradigm shift in the legal and institutional framework for healthcare in Kenya by repealing the current National Health Insurance Fund and establishing in its place the following funds: Primary Healthcare Fund; Social Health Insurance Fund; and Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund,” Cabinet said in a statement.
Universal Health Coverage has been made operational through the submission of four bills to the legislature, a step that is likely to generate heated debate.
Included are the Primary Health Care Bill of 2023, the Digital Health Bill of 2023, the Facility Improvement Financing Bill of 2023, and the Social Health Insurance Bill of 2023.
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The Primary Health Care Bill, 2023 aims to establish a legal framework for the delivery of primary health care in Kenya.
The Bill defines primary health care as essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound, and socially acceptable methods and technology that is universally accessible to individuals and families through their full participation and at a cost that the community and the country can afford.
Primary Health Care promotes and protects the health of all Kenyans by emphasizing disease prevention and healthy lifestyle promotion.
In addition to providing timely and affordable health care to all Kenyans, Primary Health Care also reduces health service disparities.
Concurrently, the Digital Health Bill of 2023 aims to establish a legal framework for the use of digital health technologies in the country.
The Digital Health Bill of 2023 will ensure that healthcare professionals are equipped with the most advanced technologies that utilize information and communication technologies to provide healthcare services, such as electronic health records, telemedicine, and mobile health.
Three New Funds Replace NHIF: Ruto Cabinet’s Green Light