President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday, October 31, warned that those plotting to steal funds in the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) would live to regret.
The Head of State was speaking during the Health Sector Intergovernmental Forum on Universal Health Coverage in Mombasa County.
"Those charged with the responsibility of looking after these funds, I promise you, that if you do not handle these funds with the care and caution it requires, some of us will go to very extreme lengths to ensure you regret it for the rest of your lives," he stated.
Kenyatta rolled out a nationwide biometric system to enhance the UHC scheme which was initially piloted in four counties.
"The scheme we are launching today must be a success. In this context, I urge NHIF to ensure funds committed to its custody are utilized prudently with utmost transparency accountability. Any person who attempts to abuse its process will be dealt with accordingly," he reiterated.
He added that the government would provide health insurance cover to 1 million vulnerable households unable to meet the Ksh 6000 per household, per annum to access the health benefits package.
The president observed that among the issues identified in the Building Bridges Initiative was that Kenyans were eager for improvement in health care delivery.
He further stated that every Kenyan has a right to the highest attainable standard of health as he noted that access to healthcare was still a challenge for many with out-of-pocket expenditures remaining high.
"UHC pilot phase was a success story. Community volunteers attended to over 2 million clients many of who were served in their homes. There was additional recruitment of 752 health workers to narrow existing gaps," he stated.
On his part, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe stated that the use of biometric registration would reduce fraud in health insurance, reduce cost in maintenance, and improve treatment management.
President Uhuru Kenyatta declared a national priority as part of his 'Big Four Agenda' in December 2018,
Under the initiative, the Government of Kenya has committed to making strategic investments in health to ensure that all residents of Kenya can access the essential health services they require by 2022.
