Secondary school heads up in arms as NHIF ends EduAfya medical cover for learners

The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) has ended the Ksh.4.5 billion schools’ insurance scheme EduAfya, leaving more than 3.4 million learners without a medical cover.

The Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KSSHA) has urged the government to ensure continuity of the programme that came to an end on December 31, 2023; this coming two days to the official opening of the first term of the 2024 education calendar.

The move, KSSHA Chairman Indimuli Kahi said, is ill-advised, noting; “The EduAfya programme should not be discarded...we need to look at it and ensure that the benefits that were realized with NHIEF are not lost,” said Indimuli.

According to Indimuli, secondary school heads have equally proposed a raft of changes in the scheme. Some of the proposals include reduction of the Ksh.1,600 premium paid per student in a year saying it is too high.

“The figure of Ksh.1,600 being taken per child, we felt it was a little bit too high, because the school was left with nothing to be able to manage certain illness...for example payment of school nurses, taking children to hospital was an extra cost,” he said.

The cloud of uncertainty has been occasioned by the Universal Health Bill that came into effect two months ago. In the changes, the medical scheme is not included in the new body that is set to replace the fund.

“The idea of having a collective pool was very noble and should not be forgotten because we look at schools that have large numbers...for schools that do not have the numbers, it becomes a challenge for them,” noted Indimuli.

The EduAfya programme that has been in place for the last over four years now offered comprehensive medical insurance coverage for students in public secondary schools registered with the National Educational Management Information System (NEMIS).

The last report on the medical scheme showed 606,893 students sought medical attention in the year 2019 out of 2.7 million learners under the cover.

The decision now leaves parents and educators in a tight spot over potential impact on students’ wellbeing.