Vihiga: Vihiga has made history, becoming the first county in the country to officially enroll its staff into the Social Health Authority (SHA), a milestone in the government's journey towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
According to Kenya News Agency, the county also joined 25 others in rolling out full health digitization, becoming the 26th to adopt the system. As part of the exercise, 680 digital devices were distributed to enhance service delivery under the Taifa Care model in the area.
Speaking during the launch in Vihiga, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced that more than 26 million Kenyans have already registered under SHA, with over 250,000 residents in Vihiga enrolled, representing 42 percent of the county's population. "Every patient must be able to get dignified care," the CS said, adding that the government is committed to strengthening primary healthcare as the entry point to UHC.
He outlined the structure of SHA including the Primary Healthcare Fund, which is fully financed by the government of Kenya, with Sh13 billion already allocated during this year's budget to ensure free outpatient services for all Kenyans. The Social Health Insurance Fund covers specialized treatment, with contributions based on the beneficiaries' level of income, followed by the Emergency, Chronic and Critical Illness Fund, meant to support treatment of life-threatening conditions.
On the digital rollout, Duale emphasized that the tablets provided will be used strictly for health services, noting that each device comes with internet connectivity and paid-up bundles for the next 10 years. The county governor Dr. Wilber Ottichilo welcomed this partnership between the county and the national government, terming it a game-changer for healthcare delivery in the region.
"On behalf of the people of Vihiga, I thank the Ministry of Health for the continued support. The signing of the MoU is a commitment to working together to achieve UHC. This agreement allows our staff to access quality medical services," said the governor. Dr. Otichillo further assured residents that the issued gadgets will be fully utilized, with training and system maintenance costs fully covered by the national government.
Medical Services PS Dr. Ouma Oluga stressed the importance of safeguarding health workers and enhancing patient-doctor interactions. He emphasized that proper documentation will be key in ensuring smooth operations and timely payments under SHA. On her part, the Social Health Authority CEO Dr. Mercy Mwangangi urged health facilities to improve documentation, so as to benefit fully from SHA payments, citing missing records such as birth notifications and theatre notes as common barriers.