Parliament's Health Committee clears SHA ahead of rollout

The committee made this declaration after the Cabinet Secretary (CS) and Principal Secretary (PS) for Health provided a status update just hours before the October 1 rollout of SHA. 

However, questions remain about the criteria that will be used to assess how informal sector households will be banded to determine their annual contributions to the health fund.

With only a few hours left before the new universal health coverage is implemented, members of Parliament are still seeking clarity on how the majority of members will be integrated into the system. 

The Ministry of Health has indicated that individuals who are not salaried will need to make annual contributions to the fund.

MPs raised concerns regarding the means testing instrument, questioning the accuracy and criteria employed to establish the contributions expected from informal sector households. 

The Ministry explained that it conducted a pilot program in eight counties, studying a sample of 2,000 individuals to determine how those in the informal sector will contribute 2.75 percent of their annual income. 

The Ministry also noted that a variety of factors were considered in determining these contributions.

Additionally, MPs expressed their concerns about the implementation of the KSh 104 billion health digitization project, ultimately stating that the Ministry had sufficiently explained the actions taken to award the tender.

Meanwhile, Ministry officials reassured Parliament that employees from the defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) are being integrated into the new structure.

 The Ministry has also initiated the distribution of medical supplies to counties in preparation for the SHA rollout on Tuesday.