TSC and Treasury Silent as Teachers Denied Healthcare Over Unpaid Dues.
The medical insurance scheme is set to expire in November 2025. However, delays in premium payments have resulted in hospitals denying services, forcing teachers to endure hardships, including postponed treatments and emergency care delays.
Teachers have recounted their suffering, including instances where medical procedures were stalled due to prolonged approval processes.
A teacher from Kisumu shared an incident where a colleague required urgent surgery following an accident but had to wait three days for approval from AoN Minet. The teacher expressed frustration over what was described as third-class treatment of educators in the country.
In Nairobi, Martha Omollo acknowledged the scheme’s intended benefits but lamented its problematic execution over the years.
She pointed out that deductions were being made for SHA-SHIF, yet confusion persisted between SHA and Minet over responsibility for teachers’ medical expenses. Omollo had filed a case against the scheme but paused it due to financial constraints.
Moses Nthurima, deputy secretary-general of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers, stated that teachers had reached their limit and were now voicing their frustrations.
He noted that a letter had been sent to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), with copies to Minet Insurance Brokers and the National Treasury, but no response had been received.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has strongly opposed AGC Tenwek Hospital’s move to suspend Social Health Authority (SHA) services for teachers.
Kipkelion Branch Executive Secretary, David Bore, criticized the decision, calling it ill-advised and urged the Bomet-based hospital to reconsider for the sake of affected patients.
Bore reported that hundreds of teachers had already been impacted by the suspension, causing distress among them and their families. He emphasized that the hospital’s decision had led to widespread panic and urged the institution to act with compassion towards educators.
He conveyed the union’s appeal to the hospital to uphold Christian values and demonstrate mercy by continuing to provide healthcare services to teachers. He likened the move to exposing teachers to unnecessary health risks, which he deemed unacceptable.
Call for Government Action
The union official urged the government and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to promptly remit medical allowances to hospitals, ensuring teachers can access the healthcare services they are entitled to. According to Bore, despite continued deductions from teachers’ salaries over the years, the fate of these funds remains unclear.
He called on the authorities to release the withheld funds so that hospitals could receive timely payments. He expressed concern that teachers contribute to medical schemes but remain uncertain about how their funds are utilized, yet these deductions should be settling their medical bills.
Bore further proposed that teachers should have the option to select their preferred medical schemes rather than being limited to SHA alone. He insisted that if the current provider could not meet its obligations, teachers should receive refunds of their deductions and be allowed to seek alternative health coverage.
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He urged swift action to ensure that teachers continued accessing healthcare services, asserting that educators had rightfully paid for their coverage. If SHA remained the sole provider, he suggested the government refund allowances to teachers so they could make independent choices.
The suspension of SHA services at Tenwek Hospital was attributed to delayed payments of teachers’ medical bills by their employer, TSC. The hospital’s move has now placed the government under pressure to resolve the issue and restore essential healthcare services for affected teachers.
TSC and Treasury Silent as Teachers Denied Healthcare Over Unpaid Dues.
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