Nairobi Governor Sakaja to Roll Out Free Health Insurance for 230,000 Poor Households

The Nairobi County Government is set to roll out free health insurance cover for poor households in the city.

While making the announcement on Thursday, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said the initiative is aimed at providing much-needed healthcare access for the vulnerable population in the city for free.

The county government will partner with the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to roll out the medical cover, which targets at least 232,000 poor households in Phase One.

Sakaja pointed out that the distribution will be 50 households per polling station and that the cover will cater for inpatient, outpatient, dental, optical and last expenses.

“I have been keenly observing what has been happening in other counties and especially in Murang’a and as Nairobi County, we will soon start registering the 232,000 poor families which will benefit from this cover,” said Sakaja.

In 2021, the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) launched a similar program where 20,000 vulnerable families in the city got Sh6,000 NHIF medical cover annually.

Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata launched a similar cover last years dubbed ‘Kang’ata Care’, which covers 20,000 vulnerable households in the county. 

The move by county governments to establish their own health coverage comes as the national government continues to make efforts to implement Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Last week, President Ruto reiterated his administration’s commitment to making universal health coverage a reality.

Ruto, who blasted the previous administration for failing to deliver the UHC pledge, said the service will be realized when all levels of government work together.

”Universal Health Care is a must to deliver. Jubilee tried and didn’t work but we are not to fail at this time. We must get it right,” he said.