Vihiga intensifies SHA registration drive to boost universal health coverage

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Vihiga County is stepping up efforts to increase registration under the Social Health Authority (SHA), with the current enrolment standing at 58.6 per cent, below the national target.

Speaking when he briefed the County Implementation Coordination Management Committee (CICMC) at the County Commissioner’s Boardroom, Vihiga SHA County Coordinator Jeremiah Langat said the county had adopted several strategies to increase registration and ensure more residents access healthcare services.

Langat said the county would identify and onboard employers who had not transitioned to SHA, including employers engaging casual labourers at construction sites, where employers are required to facilitate their workers’ registration and contributions.

“We are also comparing business permit records with registered employers to identify those who have not contributed to SHA and ensure they are onboarded,” said Langat.

He said the county would further engage potential sponsors, including county governments, National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) offices and private sponsors, to support vulnerable households that may be unable to meet their contributions.

Langat added that the county targets to engage more with agencies such as the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Boma Yangu to promote compliance and expand SHA coverage.

The county has so far collected Sh164,316,946.50 in revenue towards supporting universal healthcare.

The County Commissioner, who chaired the meeting, assured the committee that the national administration would support efforts to enforce compliance and mobilise more residents to register with SHA.

The committee also resolved to intensify public sensitisation on SHA to enable residents to understand the scheme, its benefits and registration requirements.

Members proposed increased media engagement and visibility campaigns to ensure that information on SHA reaches residents across the county.

The committee further emphasised the need for health facilities in Vihiga to comply with World Health Organisation standards to improve the quality of healthcare services offered to residents.

Langat highlighted several milestones achieved under the Social Health Authority (SHA), including an increase in the annual oncology package from Sh550,000 to Sh800,000, the rollout and training of accident and emergency centres in Vihiga County, and the onboarding of county ambulances onto the National Ambulance Dispatch Centre (NADC) to facilitate the provision of ambulance and emergency care services, among other initiatives.

The meeting was part of the CICMC’s efforts to assess challenges affecting the implementation of Government programmes and develop interventions to improve service delivery in Vihiga County.

By Rose Wasike

Reporting originally appeared via Kenya News Agency. Read the full source for additional context.