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{
    "id": 1402960,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402960/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 228,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ms. Susan Nakhumicha",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Health",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker and Members. We need to clarify whether KUTRRH imposes high deposits before attending to patients and that the NHIF cover caters for very minimal amounts as compared to other facilities such as KNH and Kiambu Level 5 Hospital. KUTRRH does not impose high deposits before attending to patients. The hospital attends to all patients who come either through referral, specialized clinics, Outpatient Department (OPD) or the Accident and Emergency Department. The patients who come to this hospital are in most cases seeking highly specialized care since it is a referral hospital. At the Accident and Emergency Department, patients are normally stabilised even before they are asked to pay the consultant fee. At the OPD and specialised clinics, patients pay a minimal consultancy fee as prescribed by the consultants. Deposits are only asked for where the consultant determines that the patient needs admission for continuation of care as explained here after. The hospital admits patients through the referral, specialist clinic or on an emergency basis. The Hospital Admission Policy and Procedures (Section s 7.2.3 and 7.2.4) and the Hospital Referral Policy (Section 6.1.16 i.) are both informed and aligned to Article 43(2) of the Constitution which states that: ‘No person shall be denied emergency medical treatment.’ The Admission Policy and Procedure Section 7.2.3 states that: ‘KUTRRH will ensure that no patient shall be denied admission due to race, colour, religion, ancestry, financial class, nationality or any other form of discrimination.’ In the same policy, in cases of emergency, there will be no financial obligation. The Referral Policy 6.1.14 (i) states that: ‘All emergency referrals to be accepted without fail and unnecessary ‘‘shunting’’ of patients should be avoided.’ They will be given priority on arrival. On waived hospital bills, the hospital does not deny care to any patient who requires emergency care or admission on the basis of a deposit, despite the fact that the deposit is part of the overall cost of care. Majority of those patients get admitted without the deposit, but with a promise to pay upon discharge. However, some do not honour their promise because they are genuinely unable to cater for their treatment costs fully. Others are only able to pay partially for the services rendered. As a result, the hospital has unpaid bills of Ksh403,587,763 since the hospital began four years ago, and this has been requested in the budget for reimbursement. Regarding the NHIF cover, the hospital has a hybrid model that has both comprehensive and non-comprehensive covers. Patients admitted under the comprehensive cover do not top up for the cost of their care, including all required pharmaceuticals, diagnostic services, surgery and medication. For example, for all patients under the NHIF scheme access surgery purely under the comprehensive cover. Under NHIF non-comprehensive cover, patients co-pay as outlined in the contract for different services. This arrangement is actually the same with that of KNH. Patients at KUTRRH have access to a whole continuum of care with a rare need to access services like imaging, special laboratory works and specialized consultancy outside the hospital. This is unlike the lower-level hospitals where patients have to buy some items or seek services outside the facility, which translates to huge out-of-pocket costs despite the NHIF cover. Part two of the Question states that we provide details on the budgetary allocation that is provided to the hospital in the Financial Year 2023/2024, and further confirm that the Credit The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
}