Universal Health Coverage: Every Kenyan Home to Pay Mandatory Sh6,000 Annually

Every Kenyan household will soon be required to pay a compulsory Sh500 contribution to the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) every month.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani indicated that each home will pay Sh6,000 annually to be enrolled in the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) scheme.

The money will cover both outpatient and inpatient services, including maternity, dialysis, cancer treatment, and surgery.

“Government focus is on the establishment of a mandatory UHC scheme to be managed by NHIF and regulated by the Ministry of Health and act as the national scheme for all persons resident in Kenya, notwithstanding one’s social status,” said CS Yatani.

Yatani said the government is initially targeting to enlist one million poor households in the UHC scheme, through the Health and Labor ministries and county governments.

“Focus is also on the provision of health insurance cover to initially one million households who are vulnerable and unable to meet even that low-cost premium," CS Yatani explained.

He added: "The identification of these one million households by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, and the counties across the entire country has already begun.” 

The Ministry of Health pointed out the proposed law on the management of the UHC scheme will soon be tabled in Parliament.

Universal healthcare is part of President Kenyatta Big Four agenda alongside manufacturing, affordable housing, and food security.