THE MAKUENI UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE PLAN

Makueni county had been celebrating a milestone they have made in the health sector.

The program that will allow everyone from the county to access free medical care, it's called the Makueni Universal Healthcare Plan.

Nine sub-county hospitals from the county's referral hospitals have been identified and equipped to provide the Makueni Universal Health Care services and others are being upgraded.

All bills incurred by patients in the hospitals will be cleared by the county government but each household will be paying Kshs 500 as part of the the healthcare scheme.

According to the county government of Makueni the health scheme is not meant to replace the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) but rather supplement it.

Approximately Kshs 6.7 Million has been used in the first phase of the program that was rolled out in May 2016 targeting people aged 65 and above.

The medics reiterated that very soon everyone from Makueni county will be accessing free medical care.

According to Dr. Andrew Mulwa, Minister of Health, Makueni, “This is a model that is attainable, achievable and is possible”.

The county's health officials have had three pillars guiding them in an effort to help transform the health sector:

Providing quality services through employing qualified personnels, and offering on the job training breaking the financial barriers that has been  blocking many from accessing medical care and ensuring there's uninterrupted supply of drugs.

“We have learned our lessons and it has been very bitter”, says Pro. Kivutha Kibwana, Makueni Governor.

Makueni county is the first in Kenya to offer this service and it is expected that it will cater for a majority of its citizens who have been relying on pocket financial of healthcare and reduced expenditure on the part of the locals.

STORY BY: T.A.F
The Kenyan Medical Freelance Journalist.

E-mail: medjournalnairobi@gmail.com