This archive report was first published on 4 August 2020.
On August 4, 2020, the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) announced a significant milestone in its efforts to improve access to healthcare in Kenya. The number of hospital accredited by the NHIF has doubled, rising from 4,281 in 2017 to 8,189 in June 2020.
Of the 3,908 new healthcare providers, 3,094 are government dispensaries and health centres. This expansion will provide more members who live in rural areas with access to proper healthcare from doctors, reducing the need for self-medication and long-distance travel for treatment.
However, the increased number of NHIF-accredited health facilities will only be beneficial if the government dispensaries and health centres have the necessary resources, including drugs, diagnostic machines, well-equipped laboratories, and skilled personnel. Unfortunately, many government dispensaries suffer chronic shortages of critical drugs and specialised care, forcing patients to travel to national referral hospitals for treatment.
The NHIF has also scaled back the treatments it pays for patients, limiting the number of sessions for radiotherapy and brachytherapy for advanced cancer. This has resulted in patients abandoning treatment when their cover lapses, leading to disease recurrence.
While the NHIF faces a delicate balancing act between providing adequate coverage and managing costs, it can do more to cushion patients against financial hardships.
