If lawmakers agree with Jubilee Party-nominated MP Sabina Chege to eliminate the special treatment, civil officials from all branches of government may be compelled to use public hospitals.
On Wednesday, Sabina Chege announced her intention to present a motion calling for all public servants, state officers, and civil servants to be required to use public healthcare facilities.
The MP claims that the current lack of funding for many public health organizations makes it difficult for them to deliver necessary services.
According to Sabina Chege, encouraging public officials who are covered by full government health insurance to seek care at public facilities will increase funding for these organizations, improving their capacity to provide high-quality healthcare and maintain their financial stability.
She called on the government, through the Ministry of Health, to put the Kenya Universal Health Coverage Policy 2020–2030 into effect and to enact legislation requiring all state officers, public servants, and public officers to use public healthcare facilities.
Civil officials are eligible for special insurance coverage from the government through the Social Health Authority (SHA). The government guarantees continuous medical care for government employees and their dependents by offering benefits equal to the current comprehensive medical insurance coverage for civil servants through the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund, which was established early this year.
The Comprehensive Medical Insurance Scheme for Civil Servants and Disciplined Services in Kenya, which went into effect on January 1, 2012, was superseded by this program.
The program offered comprehensive health care to government workers and their qualified dependents. The National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) is in charge of overseeing this program.
The principle member, one spouse, and up to five children under the age of 21 (or up to 25 if the child is enrolled in full-time school) are all covered by the plan.
Due to unresolved payment issues, hospitals connected with the Rural & Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) temporarily ceased services under the SHA insurance system. The government is reportedly owed Ksh30 billion by these hospitals, which has already caused difficulties for Kenyans.
