Workers' unions, senator reject new medical cover

Kisii Governor Simba Arati. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Kisii Governor Simba Arati and health workers' unions have clashed over plans to roll out a new medical insurance cover.

The new scheme is meant to replace the NHIF Comprehensive Cover, which the county's 5,600 employees are currently on.

On October 12 this year, Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union Nyanza Branch Secretary General Aggrey Orwenyo wrote to the County Secretary and Head of Public Service to renew the NHIF Comprehensive Cover.

Dr Orwenyo said the union was cognizant of the fact that the 2022-23 cover was to lapse on October 29, 2023, and that the county had advertised a new medical insurance cover for 2023-2024.

"We have consulted our members and done a comparative analysis with the counties that have ventured into private medical insurers. We confidently concluded that the NHIF Comprehensive Cover/Enhanced Scheme, as is, remains the superior and advantageous cover for our members," Dr Orwenyo said.

Kenya Union of Clinical Officers in a letter dated October 13, this year, by Branch Secretary Victor Bwanchete and Chairman Ogden Lazarus and addressed to County Secretary James Ntabo said they were aware of the advert for a new medical insurance scheme.

"Our members, after consultations, wish to remain under the NHIF Comprehensive Cover which is superior to the private entities. We wish to have the NHIF scheme renewed to avoid exposing our members to lack of medical coverage," read the letter.

Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka wrote to Governor Arati on October 16, this year, saying he was aware the unions had objected to the new medial scheme.

Onyonka said the new scheme was being introduced, yet there was no public participation or stakeholder engagement as provided for in Article 196(1)(b) of the Constitution of Kenya.

He said there was also a lack of consultation between the County Executive and the relevant stakeholders owing to the Constitutional provisions of Article 43(1)(a).

Speaking in Kisii town recently, Arati said he would not entertain politics in regards to the new medical scheme.

"Police and teachers are not in the NHIF scheme, why could someone make noise that I want a kickback? Sometimes frogs will make noise, but that doesn't stop cows from quenching their thirst.

"I want to clarify that some medics don't use our facilities under NHIF. I don't need the kickbacks, I have my money, I spend money; I will work for my people," said Arati.