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{
    "id": 1520876,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520876/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 156,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Barasa",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Health",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1885,
        "legal_name": "Didmus Wekesa Barasa Mutua",
        "slug": "didmus-wekesa-barasa-mutua"
    },
    "content": "We acknowledge that private and faith-based organisations are critical pillars in ensuring that health services are delivered to all Kenyans, and so, we continue with our partnership with them. We have had routine meetings with them to ensure that they are supporting the implementation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). So, what was critical with regard to the withdrawal of services was the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) debt. Together with the Social Health Authority team, we have routine meetings to see how we can have a payment plan for the NHIF debt. We are engaging the Treasury and various managing directors who were involved in the billing to ensure that there is payment. Our engagement is ongoing. However, as you can see, first, we are paying them on time. While we had talked about 90 days, we are paying them within 30 days. When you engage them further, the problem is not Social Health Authority; we are ensuring that the payment is made within the time limits. The challenge was the claims management, which has been addressed currently. Again, the challenge that we are facing is the NHIF debt. Once we have addressed that, I believe that we will be in a position to ensure that UHC is implemented. Number two was the Primary Health Care Fund, which some of them had not grasped the concept of global funding. We are meeting with them to explain to them and tabulate what it means for them in regard to the new form of the primary health care funding model. What you will see is of benefit to them. While previously NHIF only covered around seven to eight million Kenyans, we have universal coverage. So, we have more Kenyans on board. This means we are offering more services to Kenyans, and in turn, more revenue is collected. We are explaining to them how the calculation is done, so they understand that they are not going to lose but will get more through this system. We are reaching out to them to ensure that discussions are ongoing and that our partnership with the Ministry and the private and faith-based organisation continues because we really need to have their services, so that they can be accessible to all Kenyans. We will honour the pending bills; we acknowledge them and have a payment plan for NHIF."
}