Ruto: Kenyans to pay Sh300 monthly for medical cover

Kenyans will now be able to retain their NHIF cover by paying Sh300 monthly through Universal Health Coverage. 

President William Ruto made the announcement during the Social Protection Conference in Nairobi.

"We are also re-designing the delivery of health services," he said. 

This means that citizens who pay the minimum amount of Sh500 towards the National Health Insurance Fund can now shift to the UHC to receive affordable health care across the country.

It is not clear if a card, similar to that of NHIF will be availed for such purposes.   

The President also announced that his administration will roll out a program to pay a stipend to the 100,000 community health workers or volunteers in the country, in a move to improve service delivery to the citizens. 

"The Government has allocated Sh28 billion to support cash transfer programmes implemented by the State Department for Social Protection," Ruto said. 

The programmes include Older Persons, Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Persons With Severe Disabilities, the Hunger Safety Net for poor and vulnerable households in the ASAL regions and Inua Jamii.

"We are committed to effectively ring-fencing budgetary allocations for social protection programmes and further securing them by ensuring they are fiscally sustainable."

In a bid to support the vulnerable people in the community, the head of state further expressed that many of the recipients of the cash transfer program in the social protection are former workers who did not save during their working days. 

Notably, Ruto said, it was unfortunate the vulnerable people in the community were not receiving adequate support as they should. 

"We have had social protection money disbursed even as late as after seven months, which is late from the stipulated time, it is grossly unjust to wait for whatever time," he said. 

"Older citizens, orphans and vulnerable children, as well as people living with extreme disability, have a right to receive support now."

The president also encouraged citizens to save via the Hustler Fund as it would be easy to access it in future. 

"Right now, we have an option of saving through the fund without borrowing money."