Civil servants across all sections of government could be forced to use public hospitals if Members of Parliament agree with Jubilee Party-nominated Member of Parliament Sabina Chege to do away with the special treatment.
Sabina Chege on Wednesday registered intent to table a motion advocating for all state officers, civil servants, and public officers to be mandated to utilise public healthcare facilities.
According to the MP, many public health institutions are currently underfunded, which hampers their ability to provide essential services.
Sabina Chege suggested that directing public officers, who receive comprehensive government-funded health insurance, to seek medical services from public facilities would channel more funds into these institutions, thereby enhancing their financial stability and service quality.
She urged the government, through the Ministry of Health, to implement the Kenya Universal Health Coverage Policy 2020-2030 and introduce a policy enforcing the mandatory use of public healthcare facilities by all civil servants, public officers, and state officers.
“Noting that there is a need to increase the quality of care and services provided in the public health sector, concerns that public healthcare services lack adequate funds to guarantee quality healthcare services, and further noting that civil servants, public officers, and state officers are accorded comprehensive medical cover by the respective government agencies,” she said.
She went on, “Appreciating that the use of comprehensive medical cover by public officers and state officers in public hospitals would guarantee sufficient funding for hospitals, this house therefore resolves that the government, through the Ministry of Health, implement the Kenya Universal Health Coverage policy 2020-2030 and introduce a policy on mandatory use of public healthcare facilities by all civil servants, public officers, and state officers in the country who are using medical covers catered for by the government of Kenya.”
The government provides special insurance coverage for civil servants under the Social Health Authority (SHA). Through the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund initiated early this year, the government provides benefits equivalent to the existing comprehensive medical insurance cover for civil servants, ensuring uninterrupted medical services for government employees and their dependents.
The scheme replaced the Comprehensive Medical Insurance Scheme for Civil Servants and Disciplined Services in Kenya, which was established on January 1, 2012.
The scheme provided government employees and their eligible dependents with extensive medical coverage. This scheme is administered by the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
The scheme covers the principal member, one spouse, and up to five children under 21 years of age (or up to 25 years if the child is in full-time education).
Already Kenyans are facing challenges after the Rural & Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) affiliated hospitals temporarily suspended services under the SHA insurance scheme due to unresolved payment issues, with the government reportedly owing these hospitals Ksh30 billion.
