The Ministry of Health (MOH) has revealed plans to fast-track the review of the benefits package of the Social Health Authority (SHA) following incessant complaints by Kenyans, especially those seeking treatment abroad.
"The indication initially was that we are supposed to review the tariff and benefits after two years but because of the call from Kenyans regarding their experience with SHA, that will be done much sooner," MOH Director General Patrick Amoth said on Wednesday.
"The Cabinet Secretary and the Principal Secretary State Department of Medical Services have instituted measures to be able to ensure that the benefit package tariffs advisory panel, which is envisioned in law is in place."
More specifically, the overseas treatment, currently capped at Ksh500,000 will be reviewed to ensure the fundamental objective of the scheme covering everyone is met.
"Just to emphasize that SHA is providing support in terms of foreign treatment based on the tariffs that we are using, meeting the cost to the tune of Ksh500,000," SHA CEO Robert Ingasira added.
The concerns were raised since patients seeking overseas treatment require specialised care that costs way more than the available Ksh500,000.
This development comes at a time when the influx of Kenyan patients seeking treatment abroad has skyrocketed.
Between 2021 and 2022 for instance, about 569,000 Kenyans were referred for treatment abroad, with India accounting for 80 per cent of the referrals.
The high cost of treatment overseas is often chalked up to the high-risk surgeries most of the patients undergo including open-heart surgery and stem cell transplants.
Others include bone marrow transplants, liver transplants, and arterial switch operations.
On average, these procedures cost Ksh1.5 million meaning that SHA only caters for just a third of the treatment costs, highly inconveniencing the patients.
At the Wednesday press conference, Ingasira also debunked claims that civil servants were receiving a benefits package higher than that of normal Kenyans, insisting that it had been rolled over from the National Healthy Insurance Fund (NHIF).
"We have a separate scheme for civil servants but the benefits I have talked about are available to all Kenyans who are registered under SHA. The benefits are uniform," he claimed.
