Government Rolls Out Taifa Care Registration in Schools.
The Ministries of Education and Health have joined forces to enroll parents and students in the Taifa Care program, managed by the Social Health Authority (SHA). This initiative aims to ensure equitable healthcare access across the country, leaving no one behind.
Community Health Promoters temporarily halted learning in public schools in Mombasa to facilitate the registration process. Parents accompanied their children to schools, underscoring the program’s focus on family inclusivity.
While accompanied by Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir and the President’s Special Economic Advisor Moses Kuria, Migosi urged parents to prioritize enrolling their children in the government’s health insurance program under the Social Health Authority (TAA Care).
He explained that this initiative would address the healthcare needs of learners.
“On behalf of the Ministry of Education, I urge all parents to enroll their children as dependents in TAA Care membership, starting today,” he stated. This call applied not just to Mombasa but across all counties.
Addressing Birth Certificate Gaps
Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Julius Ogamba emphasized that, alongside the registration exercise, the Ministry of Education is collecting data on learners without birth certificates. This data will be forwarded to the Ministry of Interior to expedite issuance.
Ogamba described the initiative as vital for national development, stating that a healthy and educated population forms the backbone of a thriving nation. While speaking at Migadini Junior Secondary School (JSS), he reinforced the government’s commitment to enhancing healthcare and education services.
“We are doing everything possible to ensure that our people get the services that they require,” he stated.
At Umoja Primary School in Changamwe, the CS oversaw the registration of parents to the Social Health Authority (SHA).
This initiative is a collaborative effort involving the Ministries of Education, Health, and Interior to ensure that children benefiting from SHA coverage are properly registered.
Ogamba noted that the ministries are using a whole-government approach to streamline the SHA registration process.
Laxity in Registration Leading to Access Challenges at Hospitals
As Kenyans continue to express frustration over slow and poor services from the Social Health Authority (SHA), it is becoming clear that a significant number of people are not completing the registration process, resulting in difficulties when trying to access healthcare services at hospitals. This issue is particularly prevalent among individuals who transitioned from the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to the new health scheme.
The SHA has pointed out that many former NHIF members are unsure whether they need to register again under the new system or if their details were automatically transferred during the migration.
This confusion has led to problems, as individuals often discover that their information is not available in the SHA system when they attempt to seek medical care, causing delays in receiving services.
SHA Acting CEO Robert Ingasira highlighted that although data from NHIF was transferred to SHA, individuals are still required to verify and complete the registration process to ensure their information is correctly captured.
“The transfer of NHIF data was done, but members must confirm their details. Failure to do so has led to delays when accessing healthcare,” Ingasira explained.
There are also specific challenges in counties categorized as Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL), where a lack of identification documents, such as national IDs and birth certificates, has hampered the registration process. These areas have seen a low turnout for registration, and Ingasira acknowledged that this lack of documentation has become a significant barrier.
“People in ASAL counties face a unique challenge with obtaining necessary identification documents, which has slowed down registration efforts,” he added.
To address this, the SHA is working with various ministries to help residents in these regions acquire the necessary identification documents so they can complete their registration.
Registration of Household Members
In addition to confirming their own details, contributors are also required to update and verify the details of their household members, including spouses and children. This ensures that all relevant individuals are covered under the scheme.
For informal sector workers, the system conducts a means-testing process to determine the monthly contribution based on income. The contribution is capped at 2.75% of an individual’s monthly earnings.
Ingasira further explained that once registered, individuals can access services at Level 2, 3, and 4 healthcare facilities, which provide primary healthcare. However, for those requiring referrals to higher-level hospitals, they must ensure that their contributions have been made.
Contributions to SHA can be made in various ways. Those employed in the formal sector can have their contributions deducted by their employer and remitted on their behalf. Informal workers can make contributions after completing the means-testing process, and indigent groups receive coverage through government or county support.
As of now, 18.1 million Kenyans have registered with SHA, including 3 million from the informal sector. SHA has also accredited around 8,600 hospitals to provide services under the scheme. This number is significantly higher compared to the 5 million active members previously covered by NHIF.
Rollout and Healthcare Accessibility
The SHA law mandates that all Kenyans must register in the scheme to access services funded by the Public Healthcare Fund, which supports services at Level 2 and 3 facilities such as dispensaries and health centers. Additionally, services are available through the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) for individual members, along with emergency, chronic, and critical illness care.
Ingasira emphasized the significant progress in the rollout of SHA, stating that the registration of 18.1 million citizens so far is a notable achievement. He also mentioned that nearly 3 million Kenyans had undergone means testing and paid their premiums.
“Registration progress has been excellent, and we have successfully onboarded millions of Kenyans, with many now paying their premiums,” said Ingasira.
The SHA has also increased the number of healthcare workers trained to assist with the registration process. Additionally, Community Health Promoters (CHPs) are being deployed to support individuals at the grassroots level, particularly in villages, to help them register. These CHPs are trained to communicate the benefits of SHA membership in local languages, making the process more accessible.
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Ingasira further stated that special focus is being given to vulnerable groups, including expectant mothers, street families, and individuals in custody, to ensure they are enrolled in the system. Moreover, SHA is collaborating with the Ministry of Education to include children on their parents’ profiles, so they can access healthcare services when needed.
“We aim to ensure all children are registered and can access healthcare when they fall ill. We are also prioritizing vulnerable groups to make sure they are included in the scheme,” Ingasira explained.
Government Rolls Out Taifa Care Registration in Schools.
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